Terrorists Jailed for Life: Three Men Convicted Over Oyo School Kidnappings That Shocked Nigeria

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Three men linked to the horrifying abduction of dozens of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja after pleading guilty to terrorism-related offences.

Justice Salim Ibrahim delivered the judgment on Thursday, July 23, 2026, convicting Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa, also known as Yunusa Bin Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar, over their involvement in the school kidnapping that sent shockwaves across Nigeria.

The court found the trio guilty after they admitted to several charges, including concealing information about the terrorist network responsible for the attack, membership of an Ansaru-linked extremist group known as Darul Salam, and other terrorism-related offences brought against them by the Federal Government under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The case stems from the coordinated attack carried out on May 15, 2026, when heavily armed gunmen riding motorcycles stormed three schools in Yawota and Ahoro-Esinele communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The affected schools included Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community High School in Ahoro-Esinele, and L.A. Primary School in Ahoro-Esinele.

During the attack, the gunmen abducted dozens of pupils, teachers and a two-year-old child, Christianah Akanbi, before escaping into the forests surrounding the Old Oyo National Park.

Initial reports indicated that about 39 pupils and seven teachers were taken hostage, although some accounts placed the total number of abductees between 44 and 49 due to the confusion that followed the coordinated attacks.

The kidnapping sparked nationwide outrage and forced schools in the affected communities to shut down temporarily as parents, teachers and residents demanded swift action from security agencies.

Authorities linked the attackers to Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), an extremist group regarded as a splinter faction of Boko Haram with ties to Al-Qaeda. Investigators also connected the network to members of Darul Salam and displaced Boko Haram fighters operating in parts of the country.

The kidnappers reportedly demanded the release of detained Ansaru commanders, including Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, alongside a ransom reportedly running into ₦1 billion, vehicles and other conditions before negotiations eventually shifted.

The ordeal turned even more tragic during the victims’ captivity.

Two teachers lost their lives while being held hostage. Mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun was killed shortly after the abduction, with a disturbing video of the incident circulating online days later. Another teacher, identified by survivors as John Olaleye, popularly called “Deacon,” was also killed several weeks into the captivity.

After spending 56 days in captivity, the remaining victims regained their freedom on July 10, 2026, during a coordinated rescue operation conducted by the Nigerian military, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies in the Old Oyo National Park axis.

The Presidency maintained that no ransom was paid and no prisoner exchange took place during the rescue operation. Authorities also confirmed that several suspected kidnappers were arrested while others were neutralised.

The Federal Government subsequently filed a 10-count charge against the three convicted men and others still at large.

According to the prosecution, the suspects conspired with other members of the terrorist network to facilitate the kidnapping and deliberately concealed information about the planned attack despite having prior knowledge of it.

Investigators also accused Abdulrazak Umar of operating a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace,” allegedly used to disseminate extremist ideology, provide instructions, training and encouragement for terrorist activities.

He was further charged with engaging in illegal gold mining in Chaza, Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State between 2024 and 2026 without government authorisation. Prosecutors argued that proceeds from the illegal mining activities were used to finance terrorism.

While the defendants admitted their association with members of the terrorist group, their guilty pleas centred primarily on concealing information, membership of the extremist organisation, terrorism-related incitement and, in Umar’s case, illegal mining linked to terrorist financing rather than direct participation in the physical attack on the schools.

Despite pleas for leniency by defence counsel, Justice Ibrahim rejected the requests and sentenced all three convicts to life imprisonment. Some reports indicate that the sentences are to commence from the date of their arrest.

The convictions represent one of the most significant terrorism-related prosecutions following the rescue of the Oriire school victims and underscore ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities to dismantle terror networks allegedly financed through criminal activities such as illegal mining.

The May 2026 school abductions remain one of the country’s most disturbing attacks on educational institutions in recent years, drawing condemnation from President Bola Tinubu, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, civil society organisations and education stakeholders.

The swift progression from the victims’ rescue on July 10 to the suspects’ arraignment and eventual conviction on July 23 has been widely viewed as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to hold individuals linked to terrorism accountable.