The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced three men convicted over the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonment.
Justice Salim Ibrahim ordered that the life sentences imposed on Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar, should take effect from the date of their arrest.
Before the sentencing, counsel for the defendants urged the court to temper justice with mercy, arguing that the convicts were first-time offenders who had pleaded guilty and shown remorse.
The defence further submitted that the offences to which they pleaded guilty were not directly related to the kidnapping, adding that the convicts were married with children and had elderly parents who depended on them.
He appealed to the court to give them a second chance by imposing lighter sentences.
Counsel for the prosecution, however, argued that the convicts were aware of the activities of terrorists and as citizens, had a duty to report such information to the appropriate authorities rather than conceal it.
When the charges were read, the three defendants pleaded guilty to membership of a proscribed terrorist organisation.
They also admitted to concealing information relating to the planning and execution of the abduction.
However, only the first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar, pleaded guilty to Counts 7, 8, 9 and 10, which bordered on terrorist training, passing instructions and inciting members of a terrorist group using a particular religious ideology.
The three defendants were prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping and concealment of information.
According to the charges, the defendants, who are all from Niger State, knowingly withheld information about individuals involved in terrorist activities, participated in kidnapping operations and used a messaging platform to facilitate terrorist training.
