The Department of State Services (DSS) has announced plans to appeal the life imprisonment sentences handed down to three men convicted for their involvement in the abduction of school pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State.
The DSS contends that the punishment does not adequately reflect the gravity of the crimes, highlighting the beheading of two teachers by members of the terrorist group responsible for the abductions.
On Thursday, Justice Salim Ibrahim sentenced the men Abdulrazak Umar (alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (alias Yunusa Bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (alias Abu Itisar) to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to charges including membership in Darul Salam (an affiliate of the Ansaru terrorist organisation), concealing information about the kidnappings, and inciting terrorism through extremist religious ideology.
Umar specifically pleaded guilty to four terrorism-related counts, involving the training and indoctrination of terror group members. The DSS prosecuted the trio under a 10-count charge encompassing kidnapping, concealment of information, and various terrorism offences in violation of Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
All three defendants, who are from Niger State, were accused of knowingly withholding information about terrorist activities, participating in kidnappings, and using messaging platforms to facilitate terrorist training. Each received a life sentence on Count 6. Umar was further sentenced to life imprisonment on Counts 7, 9, and 10.
This development follows a Federal High Court ruling last week in Abuja, which sentenced two senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group—Mahmud Muhammad Usman (Abu Bara’a) and his deputy Mahmud al-Nigeri (Mallam Mamuda)—to life imprisonment after their capture by the DSS. The DSS has also announced its intention to appeal that judgement.
