The Department of State Services on Wednesday brought five suspected members of the Ansaru terror group before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the May 15 kidnapping of pupils and teachers in the Oriire area of Oyo State, an attack that also left two victims dead.
The accused, Mahmud Muhammad, Abubakar Abbas, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani, each of whom operates under several aliases, pleaded not guilty to six terrorism-related counts.
Prosecutors alleged that two of the men directed group members to abduct and kill people across the country, and to stage reprisals if any of them were arrested, in a bid to pressure the government. The charges further stated that two of the victims, Michael Oyedokun and Deacon John Olaleye, were beheaded.
Justice Salim Ibrahim ordered the suspects remanded in DSS custody, but directed that they be granted access to their lawyers, family visits and medical care, with trial slated to begin on September 25. Separately, staff of the University of Ibadan raised about N6m to support the surviving victims and bereaved families.
Source: Punch.
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