By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A Federal High Court sitting in Nigeria’s capital Abuja, has sentenced three suspects in connection with abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, South West to life imprisonment, signalling a renewed judicial backing in the fight against banditry in the West African nation.
The suspects include, Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar
The three accused persons were on trial by DSS on a 10-count charge bordering on kidnapping, concealment of information, and terrorism-related offences.
Counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to sentence them on liberal terms, arguing that they were first-time offenders and had pleaded guilty.
He pointed out that this showed that they were remorseful of their actions, and all the counts they were charged with are not related to the kidnapping.
He added that the convicts were married men who have children and have aged parents who are dependent on them, urging the court to give them a second chance at life and sentence them on liberal terms.
Counsel for the prosecution, however, pointed out that the convicts were aware of the people on the battlefield, and as true Nigerians, they should have reported it to the authorities.
After the charges were read to them, they pleaded guilty to membership of a proscribed terrorist group.
At their arraignment on alleged terrorism at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the three defendants also pleaded guilty to concealing information on the planning and execution of the abduction.
However, only the first accused person, Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid, pleaded guilty to counts 7, 8, 9 and 10, which bordered on training and passing instructions and inciting terror group members on a particular religious ideology.
According to the charges, the defendants, all from Niger State, North Central Nigeria are accused of knowingly withholding information about individuals linked to terrorist activities, participating in kidnapping, and using a messaging platform to facilitate terrorist training.
