ABUJA — A Federal High Court in Abuja has heard that international terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda supported members of the proscribed Ansaru group in attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to pressure the Federal Government into releasing detained leaders.
A prosecution witness, identified as ‘BBB’, told the court that the attackers kidnapped students and teachers and demanded the release of 30 suspected members and leaders of the group, threatening to kill the victims if the government failed to comply.
The witness gave the testimony yesterday as the second prosecution witness in the trial of five men accused of involvement in the attacks.
The defendants are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam; Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN, the witness said the kidnappings formed part of a wider strategy by Ansaru members to secure the release of detained leaders through high-profile attacks.
He identified the first defendant, Muhammad, as a founding member of Boko Haram who later broke away in 2012 to establish Ansaru. According to the witness, Muhammad subsequently emerged as the group’s leader, while the second defendant, Abbas, was appointed head of operations.
The witness alleged that following Muhammad’s arrest in 2025, the group planned attacks and kidnappings targeting prominent individuals and security installations to pressure the government.
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He cited an alleged November 4, 2025, attack on the convoy of a member of the House of Representatives, Jafaru Mohammed Ali, representing Agwara/Borgu Federal Constituency, during which four military personnel were reportedly killed and four Department of State Services personnel injured.
BBB further told the court that after an unsuccessful attempt to attack Wawa Military Base in Niger State, Ansaru members relocated to the South-West, believing that media coverage of their operations would increase pressure on the government.
On the Oriire incident, the witness alleged that the kidnapped victims were taken to a forest near the Old Oyo National Park, where their captors issued demands for the release of 30 detained members.
He said security agencies eventually launched a rescue operation after the terrorists reportedly killed two of the hostages and threatened to murder the remaining victims.
According to the witness, the operation secured the release of the captives, although security personnel, including senior police and Army officers, were killed.
BBB also identified the third, fourth and fifth defendants as alleged members of Ansaru who communicated with commanders involved in holding the Oriire victims.
The defendants are facing trial over their alleged membership of and activities within the proscribed terrorist group. The allegations remain before the court.
Justice Salim Ibrahim adjourned further hearing till today at 9 a.m.
