A witness of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday narrated to the Federal High Court in Abuja how the 49 kidnapped students and teachers of schools in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State were subjected to dehumanising conditions for 56 days by their kidnappers.
The witness, identified as ‘AAA’ for the protection of her identity, told Justice Salim Ibrahim that they were moved to six different locations barefooted, sleeping on grass under heavy rain and sunshine, before security agents finally rescued them from captivity.
The defendants, accused of being members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) terrorist group, are Mahmud Muhammad (aka Abu Bara’a, Abbas Mukhtar); Abubakar Abbas (aka Isah Adam, Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri); Abdulrazak Umar (aka Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid); Yunusa Musa (aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa); and Shamsu Adamu Sani (aka Abu Itisar).
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mr Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, the DSS witness told the court that their ordeal was particularly pathetic because children as young as one and a half years old from pre-nursery schools were among those held in captivity throughout the period.
The witness claimed that on the day they were kidnapped, a group of bandits armed to the teeth invaded their schools on 12 motorcycles, shooting sporadically and preventing the students and teachers from escaping.
She said the bandits, who came on 12 motorcycles, ‘carted’ them away into the bush, with one motorcycle carrying about four persons. She added that a Toyota car belonging to one of the teachers was also used to move other victims into the bush.
While in the bush, the witness said they were addressed by the bandits’ leader, who told them that the kidnapped people were being held to negotiate for the release of their Ansaru group members and not for the purpose of ransom.
On two different occasions, the witness said, two teachers among them, Deacon John Olaleye and Michael Oyedokun, were brought out and openly beheaded on the excuse that the government was not serious about yielding to their demands for the release of their detained members.
She also told the court that their phones were seized and used to contact their relatives and government officials to relay their grievances to the government.
The witness further said that while inside the bush, they faced hunger and acute shortages of water, adding that about four victims were served with a cup of water during rationing.
She further said that at the initial stage, they were fed with rice, salt and palm oil, but when the salt ran out, the kidnappers resorted to feeding them with rice and palm oil, and later only white rice when the palm oil also ran out.
Narrating their ordeal further, the witness claimed that during feeding, the little children among them were usually flogged by the kidnappers to prevent them from struggling for white rice, adding that they were given food inside a dirty rubber bucket like chickens.
Throughout the 56 days in captivity, the witness told the court that they had no opportunity to wash their clothes or take their baths, thereby making them so dirty and exposed to dangers before the rescue came.
She further said the victims had to close their eyes before they could drink the dirty water being served to them by the kidnappers, adding that they had to drink the dirty water just to survive.
The witness also said that it was at camp six of the captivity that the security forces exchanged gunshots with the bandits before finally rescuing them.
Meanwhile, defence lawyer Bala Dakum is to cross-examine the DSS witness on Friday, September 18, 2026.
Justice Ibrahim ordered that the defendants remain in the custody of the DSS throughout the duration of their trial.
The five defendants, docked by the DSS on behalf of the Federal Government on a seven-count amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026, pleaded not guilty before the trial began.
The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mr Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, who is leading the DSS legal team for the prosecution, applied for the immediate trial of the defendants in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
He also prayed the court that the names of witnesses lined up to testify in the trial be shielded and that they be permitted to wear masks to ensure their protection.
Count one of the charge reads, ‘That you MAHMUD MUHAMMAD (aka Abu Bara’a, Abbas Mukhtar) and ABUBAKAR ABBAS (aka Isah Adam, Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri), Adults, Males, of Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State and Daura Local Government Area of Katsina state respectively, sometime between 2025 and 2026 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an act of terrorism when you ordered ABDULRAZAK UMAR (aka Abu Khalifa/ Abu Khalid), YUNUSA MUSA (aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa) and SHAMSU ADAMU SANI (aka Abu Itisar), your foot soldiers of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU), a proscribed terrorist organization in Nigeria, to kidnap and kill innocent Nigerians (Victims) in different parts of Nigeria in the event of your arrest by the Nigerian government, to compel the government to accede to your demands, which instigated the kidnap of about 46 pupils and teachers of Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery/Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, Orire LGA, Oyo State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 24(2)(b) of the same Act.’
Count two reads, ‘That you Mahmud Muhammad (aka Abu Bara’a, Abbas Mukhtar), Abubakar Abbas (aka Isah Adam, Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri), Abdulrazak Umar (aka Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa) and Shamsu Adamu Santi (aka Abu Itisar), Adults, Males, of Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, Daura Local Government Area of Katsina state and Suleja LGA, Niger State respectively sometime between 2025 and 2026 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an act of terrorism when you caused the death of Deacon John Olaleye, by decapitating him. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2 (3) (g) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 24(2) of the same Act.’
Count seven reads, ‘That you, Mahmud Muhammad (aka Abu Bara’a, Abbas Mukhtar) and Abubakar Abbas (aka Isah Adam, Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri), Adults, Males, of Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State and Daura Local Government Area of Katsina state respectively, sometime between January and May, 2026, at Suleja LGA, Niger State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, committed an offence when you knowingly concealed information about an imminent act of terrorism by Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) terrorist group which led to the 15th May, 2026 kidnap of about forty-six persons and killing of two persons, Michael Oyedokun and Deacon John Olaleye, knowing the information to be of material assistance in apprehending and preventing the commission of acts of terrorism, but failed to disclose the information to any Law Enforcement or Security Officer, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16 (1) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act.’