Nigeria Charges Three Over Oyo School Kidnapping

The Federal Government of Nigeria has filed a 10‑count charge of terrorism, kidnapping, concealment, incitement and illegal mining against three men – Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a. Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (a.k.a. Yunusa bin Musa) and Shamsu Adamu Sani (a.k.a. Abu Itisar) – for their alleged role in the May 15, 2026 abduction of dozens of pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State. The charge sheet states that the suspects, all from Suleja LGA in Niger State, conspired with three others between January and May 2026 to kidnap the victims, aided the operation, concealed information about the masterminds and failed to report the plot to authorities. Prosecutors also allege that the trio were members of Darul Salam, an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist group Ansaru, and that Abdulrazak Umar used a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace” to train and incite terrorists. He is additionally accused of illegal gold mining in the Chaza area of Suleja between 2024 and 2026.

A survivor of the kidnapping, identified as Zacheaus Olatunde, claimed the captives were released by the abductors rather than rescued by security forces, describing harsh conditions, killings of two teachers and frequent moves between camps. Several freed teachers, including Olatunde and Zachary Olatunde, have repeatedly denied online claims that the kidnapping was staged, recounting details such as the abductors washing their clothes and the victims’ matching native attire, and describing the moment of release when the militants’ commander announced they were free.

The suspects appeared before the Federal High Court in Abuja and are expected to be arraigned pending ongoing investigations. The government maintains that the victims were freed in a coordinated security operation involving the army, police, DSS, civil defence and local vigilantes, with no ransom paid.