Drama unfolded at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday when five men facing terrorism-related charges over the kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oyo State rejected lawyers assigned to represent them by the Legal Aid Council.
The defendants, accused of being members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) terrorist group, insisted that they wanted Bala Dakum, a lawyer who had previously represented them, to continue as their counsel.
Their objection stalled the planned arraignment on a six-count amended charge filed by the Federal Government in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026.
The men are accused in connection with the May 15 kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State and the subsequent killing of two of the victims.
They 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.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, Akilaluyel Shettima, a Deputy Director with the Legal Aid Council, announced his appearance on behalf of all five defendants.
But the arrangement immediately met resistance from Muhammad, the first accused person.
Speaking for himself and the other defendants, Muhammad told Justice Salim Ibrahim that they had previously been represented by Dakum and wanted him to remain their lawyer.
The development put the planned arraignment on hold as the issue of legal representation took centre stage.
Counsel for the Federal Government and Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, did not oppose the defendants’ request.
Oyedepo told the court that the choice of legal representation was a constitutional matter that should be respected.
He also stressed that the Department of State Services (DSS), which is prosecuting the case on behalf of the Federal Government, was a law-abiding institution concerned with the administration of justice rather than the persecution of the accused persons.
Following the submissions, Justice Ibrahim adjourned the matter until Thursday, September 17, for the defendants to be re-arraigned.
The judge directed the accused persons to contact Dakum and ensure that he appears in court for the fresh arraignment.
Justice Ibrahim also ordered the DSS to give the defendants access to their lawyer so they could prepare their defence as required by law.
The aborted proceedings mean that the five defendants will return to court on Thursday for the Federal Government to proceed with the fresh arraignment.
The case stems from the May 15 kidnapping incident in Oriire Local Government Area, where pupils and teachers were abducted and two of the victims were subsequently killed.
The Federal Government’s amended charge contains six counts against the five defendants.