- DSS kicks, seeks death penalty for convicts
The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three persons involved in the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonment.
According to the court, the sentencing of Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar, will start from the date of their arrest.
Before the sentencing by Justice Salim Ibrahim, counsel for the defendants pleaded with the court to sentence them on liberal terms. He added that they are first-time offenders and had pleaded guilty.
Ibrahim pointed out that this shows that they are remorseful of their actions, and all the counts they are charged with are not related to the kidnapping.
He added that the convicts are married men who have children, have aged parents who are dependent on them. He pleaded with the court to give them a second chance at life and sentence them on liberal terms.
Counsel for the prosecution, however, pointed out that the convicts were aware of the people on the battlefield, and as true Nigerians, they should have reported it to the authorities.
After the charges were read to them, they pleaded guilty to membership of a proscribed terrorist group.
At their arraignment on alleged terrorism at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the three defendants also pleaded guilty to concealing information on the planning and execution of the abduction.
However, only the first accused person, Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid, pleaded guilty to counts 7, 8, 9 and 10, which bordered on training and passing instructions and inciting terror group members on a particular religious ideology.
The three accused persons were on trial by DSS on a 10-count charge bordering on kidnapping, concealment of information, and terrorism-related offences.
According to the charges, the defendants – all from Niger State – were accused of knowingly withholding information about individuals linked to terrorist activities, participating in kidnapping, and using a messaging platform to facilitate terrorist training.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) says it will appeal the life imprisonment of three men arrested for their role in the abduction of school pupils and teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Dissatisfied with the verdict, the DSS argued that the sentencing is not commensurate with the crimes committed in Oriire. It cited the beheading of two teachers by members of the terrorist organisation involved in the abduction.