A prosecution witness has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that members of the proscribed terrorist group Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) abducted pupils, students and teachers in Oyo State to pressure the Federal Government into releasing 30 detained members, including the group’s leaders.
The witness, a Department of State Services (DSS) operative identified as BBB, alleged that international terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda supported the group in planning the May 15, 2026, attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Testifying on Monday as the second prosecution witness in the trial of five alleged ANSARU members, BBB said the kidnappers threatened to kill their captives if the government failed to meet their demands.
He told the court that the abducted victims were taken to a location in a forest near the Old Oyo National Park, where the terrorists submitted a list of 30 leaders and members they wanted released.
According to the witness, security agencies eventually launched a rescue operation after the government refused to negotiate with the group.
Two victims were killed before the operation secured the release of the remaining captives.
Five defendants face terrorism charges
The defendants are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, alias Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa and Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.
The prosecution alleges that the defendants are members of ANSARU and were involved in the attacks and abductions in Oriire.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, BBB said he became acquainted with the defendants through his official duties.
He particularly identified Muhammad as one of the founding members of Boko Haram, who previously served as the group’s head of security and intelligence before leaving to establish ANSARU with other members in 2012.
According to the witness, the group sought to establish Islamic governance in Nigeria and targeted foreign nationals because its members believed foreigners were killing Muslims abroad.
BBB said the killing of seven foreign nationals by ANSARU members in 2014 led the United States to designate the group as a terrorist organisation and declare Muhammad a globally wanted terrorist.
Witness links earlier attacks to detained leaders
The DSS operative told the court that Muhammad later assumed ANSARU’s leadership and appointed the second defendant, Abbas, as head of operations.
He alleged that the group intensified its operations following Muhammad’s arrest in 2025, with members planning attacks and kidnappings to compel the government to release detained commanders.
BBB cited the November 4, 2025, attack on the convoy of a House of Representatives member, Jafaru Mohammed Ali, who represents Agwara/Borgu Federal Constituency.
According to the witness, the attack killed four military personnel and injured four DSS operatives.
He said the operation was intended to abduct the lawmaker and use him as leverage to secure the release of Muhammad, Abbas and other detained members.
The witness also alleged that ANSARU members planned to attack the Wawa Military Base in New Bussa, Niger State, because they believed some of their detained members were being held there.
After the planned attack on the military facility failed, the group relocated to the South-West, where its members believed the presence of media organisations would help publicise their demands and increase pressure on the Federal Government, he said.
Security operation led to rescue
Returning to the Oriire incident, BBB said ANSARU members carried out the abductions as part of a strategy allegedly established by the group’s leaders to force the government to release detained commanders.
He told the court that the kidnappers were hostile towards security operatives who attempted to rescue the victims from their forest hideout.
According to him, the terrorists fired at security personnel, killed some of their captives and threatened to murder others if the rescue effort continued.
The witness said security agencies subsequently adopted additional measures to prevent further killings, including the arrest of the second defendant’s wife and family members of other alleged commanders.
BBB claimed that the measures helped stop the killings until the rescue operation was completed.
He added that the third, fourth and fifth defendants were allegedly members of ANSARU who communicated with some of the group’s commanders, including a commander involved in holding the Oriire victims.
The witness maintained that the Federal Government refused to meet the terrorists’ demands despite their threats.
He also said security personnel suffered casualties during the operation, including a senior police officer and an Army officer.
Further hearing in the case is scheduled for Tuesday at 9am before Justice Salim Ibrahim.
