*Service may appeal judgement
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced three men arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) to life imprisonment for their role in the recent kidnapping of school pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State.
The sentencing by Justice Salim Ibrahim, came after the men pleaded guilty to belonging to Darul Salam, an affiliate of the Ansaru terrorist organization, for concealing information on the abduction, and for incitement through religious ideology.
Even though the DSS has yet to officially react to the sentencing, there are feelers that the Service would appeal the judgement, given that the abductors beheaded two teachers of the Oriire school.
“Ever since the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced four men to death by hanging for the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, the Service has been naturally inclined towards pay the payment of the ultimate price, by persons found culpable of killing others” a senior officer in the DSS legal department stated.
At their arraignment on terrorism charges, the three convicts, Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar, also pleaded guilty to concealing information on the planning and execution of the kidnap of school children and teachers in Oriire.
The first accused,
Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid pleaded guilty to counts 7, 8, 9 and 10 which bordered on training and passing instructions and inciting terror group members on a particular religious ideology.
The three accused persons were put on trial by the DSS on a 10-count charge bordering on kidnapping, concealment of information, and terrorism-related offences, contrary to Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
According to the charges, the defendants, all from Niger State, were accused of knowingly withholding information about individuals linked to terrorist activities, participating in kidnapping, and using a messaging platform to facilitate terrorist training.
The three defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment on Count 6. Abdulrazak Umar was sentenced to life imprisonment on Count 7; life imprisonment on count 9 and life sentence on count 10.
Last week, a Federal High Court in Abuja, sentenced two top commanders of Ansaru terrorist organization who were also captured by the DSS,
Mahmud Muhammad Usman (Abu Bara’a) and deputy Mahmud al-Nigeri (Mallam Mamuda), to life imprisonment. The DSS said it will appeal that judgement.
