DSS to re-arraign five Ansaru suspects over ‘involvement’ in Ogbomoso school abduction

The Department of State Services (DSS) will on Thursday re-arraign five suspected members of the Ansaru terrorist group over their alleged involvement in the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire LGA, Ogbomoso, Oyo state.

The five men are facing a six-count amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026, filed by Rotimi Oyedepo, director of public prosecutions of the federation (DPPF), on behalf of the federal government.

The defendants are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam and Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa and Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Abu Yunusa bin Musa; and Shamsu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.

The federal government accused the men of being members of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a terrorist group.

The case was scheduled for re-arraignment before Salim Ibrahim, judge of the federal high court in Abuja, on Wednesday but was adjourned until Thursday after the defendants requested to be represented by a lawyer of their choice.

At the proceedings, Akilaluyel Shettima, deputy director at the Legal Aid Council, announced his appearance for the five defendants.

However, Mahmud, the first defendant, objected to the representation.

Speaking on behalf of the other defendants, Mahmud told the court that they had previously been represented by Bala Dakum and wanted him to continue as their counsel.

The DPPF conceded that the defendants’ choice of counsel was a constitutional matter that should be respected.

He also told the court that the DSS is a law-abiding institution interested in justice and not the persecution of the defendants.

The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until Thursday for re-arraignment and directed the defendants to contact Dakum and ensure that he is present in court for the proceedings.

He also directed the DSS to allow the defendants to have access to their counsel to enable them to prepare their defence.

On May 15, gunmen attacked three schools in Oriire LGA and abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers, including the principal of one of the affected schools. Two people were killed during the attack.

Days later, the abductors killed Michael Oyedokun, one of the abducted teachers, while in captivity.

On July 10, federal government announced that all the abductees had been rescued following a joint security operation. (TheCable)