Oriire School Abduction: DSS DMoves to Overturn Life Sentence with Death Penalty Appeal

The Department of State Services, DSS, says it will appeal the life prison sentence handed to three men arrested for their part in the abduction of school pupils and teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The secret police said it was not happy with the verdict, saying the sentence is not in proportion to the crimes committed.

The DSS said the beheading of two teachers by members of the terrorist organisation involved in the abduction is a capital offence which should attract the death sentence.

It was recalled that the men had pleaded guilty to belonging to Darul Salam, an affiliate of the Ansaru terrorist organisation; concealing information on the kidnapping; and inciting through religious ideology. Justice Salim Ibrahim on Thursday sentenced the men to life imprisonment.

The convicts are Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar.

Read Also: ‘Silence Is Not an Option’ — Gov Bago Challenges Fulani Community to Condemn Atrocities

Abdulrazak Umar, aka Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid, admitted to counts 7, 8, 9 and 10, which were related to training and giving instructions to and encouraging members of a terror group on a particular religious ideology.

The DSS charged them with a 10-count charge bordering on kidnapping, concealment of information and terrorism-related offences contrary to Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and dragged them to court.

According to the charges, the defendants, who are all from Niger State, knowingly concealed information about persons engaged in terrorist activity, engaged in kidnapping, and provided services through a messaging platform for the purpose of promoting terrorist training.

Count 6 resulted in a life sentence for all three defendants. Abdulrazak Umar was sentenced to life imprisonment on Count 7, life imprisonment on Count 9 and life imprisonment on Count 10.

Last week, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced two senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group – Mahmud Muhammad Usman (Abu Bara’a) and his deputy Mahmud al-Nigeri (Mallam Mamuda) – to life imprisonment.