A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of five suspected members of the terrorist group Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru) has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the May 15 attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State was allegedly planned with support from the international terrorist network, Al-Qaeda.
The witness, identified only as “BBB” for security reasons, testified on Monday that the kidnappings were aimed at compelling the Federal Government to release detained leaders and members of the proscribed terrorist group.
BBB, who appeared as the second prosecution witness, said the attackers abducted students and teachers and subsequently submitted a list of 30 Ansaru members they demanded should be released from custody, threatening to kill the victims if the government failed to comply.
The five defendants standing trial are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa and Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.
According to the prosecution, the accused are from various local government areas in Kogi, Katsina and Niger states.
Led in evidence by Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the witness stated that security agencies eventually rescued the abductees after the Federal Government rejected the terrorists’ demands and refused to negotiate.
BBB said he became familiar with the defendants through his official duties and described the first defendant, Mahmud Muhammad, as one of the founding members of Boko Haram who later broke away from the group in 2012 to establish Ansaru.
According to the witness, Ansaru was founded to advance its extremist ideology and target foreign nationals, whom members believed were responsible for the persecution of Muslims abroad.
He told the court that Ansaru’s involvement in the killing of seven foreign nationals in 2014 led to the group being designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, while Muhammad was declared a globally wanted terrorist.
The witness further alleged that Muhammad later became Ansaru’s leader and appointed the second defendant, Abubakar Abbas, as head of operations.
Providing details of the group’s activities, BBB claimed that members carried out several attacks, including an alleged attempt on the convoy of House of Representatives member Jafaru Mohammed Ali on November 4, 2025. The operation, he said, was intended to secure the release of detained Ansaru leaders through kidnapping and negotiations.
The witness also claimed that after a failed attack on the Wawa Military Base in Niger State, members of the group relocated to the South-West region, where they believed media attention would amplify pressure on the government to release their leaders.
Describing the Oriire abduction, BBB said the victims were taken to a forest near the Old Oyo National Park, where the insurgents held them while issuing demands to the government.
“They submitted a list of 30 members, including their leaders, and threatened to kill the victims if their demands were not met,” the witness told the court.
He further alleged that the terrorists killed two victims and launched attacks against security personnel during rescue operations, resulting in casualties among security forces, including a senior police officer and an Army officer.
According to the witness, the third, fourth and fifth defendants maintained communications with commanders directly involved in holding the abducted victims.
BBB maintained that the kidnapping was carried out in line with Ansaru’s operational doctrine, which allegedly requires members to launch attacks aimed at securing the release of detained leaders whenever senior figures are arrested.
He said despite sustained pressure from the terrorists, the Federal Government refused to negotiate, while security agencies ultimately secured the release of the remaining victims.
Justice Salim Ibrahim adjourned further hearing in the matter until Tuesday at 9 a.m. for continuation of trial proceedings.
