…Al-Qaeda allegedly backed operation, prosecution witness claims
…Terrorists demanded release of 30 members, threatened to kill abductees
A prosecution witness has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru) allegedly carried out the May 15, 2026, abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to pressure the Federal Government into releasing detained terrorist leaders.
The witness, identified as ‘BBB’, also alleged that the international terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda supported the operation, which he said was part of a broader strategy to secure the release of detained members of the group.
Testifying on Monday in the ongoing trial of five alleged Ansaru members, the witness said the terrorists submitted a list of 30 leaders and members they wanted the government to release, threatening to kill the abductees if their demands were not met.
According to him, the Federal Government’s refusal to negotiate with the group prompted security agencies to launch an operation to rescue the victims.
The defendants are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, aka Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, aka Abu Khalifa and Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, aka Abu Itisar.
The prosecution alleges that the defendants are members of Ansaru and hail from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, Daura in Katsina State, and Suleja in Niger State.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN, the witness said he knew the defendants through his official duties and had investigated the Oriire abduction.
He identified the first defendant, Muhammad, as one of the founding members of Boko Haram who later left the group in 2012 to establish Ansaru.
According to the witness, Muhammad previously served as Boko Haram’s head of security and intelligence before joining those who formed Ansaru to pursue their ideology of establishing Islamic governance in Nigeria.
He alleged that the group targeted foreign nationals because its members believed foreigners were killing Muslims in other countries.
The witness further claimed that the killing of seven foreign nationals by the group in 2014 led to its designation as a terrorist organisation by the United States and the declaration of Muhammad as a globally wanted terrorist.
How terrorists allegedly planned attacks
BBB told the court that Muhammad assumed leadership of Ansaru and appointed the second defendant, Abbas, as head of operations.
He alleged that after Muhammad’s arrest in 2025, the group began planning high-profile attacks to pressure the government into releasing its detained leaders.
According to the witness, one of the operations occurred on November 4, 2025, when suspected Ansaru members attacked the convoy of Jafaru Mohammed Ali, a member of the House of Representatives representing Agwara/Borgu Federal Constituency.
He alleged that four military personnel were killed and four Department of State Services personnel injured during the attack.
The witness said the operation was intended to abduct the lawmaker and use him as leverage to secure the release of detained group leaders.
He further alleged that the group planned to attack the Wawa military base in New Bussa, Niger State, because its members believed their detained associates were being held there.
Following the failure of the alleged operation against the military base, the witness said Ansaru members relocated to the South-West, believing that media coverage of their activities would increase pressure on the Federal Government.
He told the court that the Oriire abduction was part of this strategy.
Two abductees allegedly killed before rescue
Recounting the Oriire incident, the witness said the abducted students and teachers were taken to a secured location in a forest near the Old Oyo National Park.
He alleged that the terrorists submitted their list of 30 members and threatened to kill the captives unless the government met their demands.
According to him, the group became hostile when security operatives moved against them in the forest, opening fire on the rescuers and killing one of the abductees.
BBB said the security agencies eventually launched an offensive after the terrorists allegedly killed two victims and threatened to murder the remaining captives.
He told the court that the rescue operation led to the recovery of the abductees, although security personnel, including a senior police officer and an Army officer, were killed.
The witness also linked the third, fourth and fifth defendants to the alleged operation, claiming they communicated with Ansaru commanders, including one who was holding the Oriire victims.
He maintained that the abduction was carried out in furtherance of a strategy allegedly established by the group’s leaders to force the government to release detained members through attacks and hostage-taking.
The defendants are standing trial over their alleged involvement in the activities of the terrorist group. The allegations presented by the prosecution witness remain subject to determination by the court.
Further hearing in the case has been fixed for October 13, 2026, before Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
