By Oluwakemi Kindness
Three men linked to the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice Salim Ibrahim convicted Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa (alias Yunusa Bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (alias Abu Itisar) after they pleaded guilty to terrorism-related offences, including belonging to a proscribed terrorist organisation and concealing information about the planning and execution of the school abduction.
The court heard that Abdulrazak Umar also admitted to four additional terrorism charges, including training members of the terrorist group, transmitting operational directives, and promoting the group’s extremist religious ideology.
During sentencing, defence counsel appealed for leniency, arguing that the convicts were first-time offenders who had demonstrated remorse by pleading guilty.
The lawyer also urged the court to consider their family responsibilities, noting that they were married with children and had elderly parents who depended on them.
However, the prosecution opposed the request, insisting that the defendants knowingly concealed information about terrorist activities instead of reporting it to security agencies, thereby aiding the group’s operations.
In his ruling, Justice Ibrahim held that the offences were grave and warranted severe punishment.
He sentenced the three men to life imprisonment, ordering that the jail terms take effect from the date of their arrest.
The judgment is seen as another significant step in Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen accountability for terrorism-related crimes and improve the protection of schools and vulnerable communities from violent attacks.
