The Department of State Services (DSS) has said it will challenge the life imprisonment handed down to three men convicted over the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, insisting that the punishment falls short of the severity of their crimes.

The agency said it was dissatisfied with the judgment, arguing that the sentence is not proportionate to the offences committed.

According to the DSS, the killing of two teachers by beheading during the abduction constitutes a capital offence that warrants the death penalty.

The position follows Thursday's judgment by Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja, who sentenced the three convicts to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges, including membership of Darul Salam, an affiliate of the Ansaru terrorist organisation, concealing information about the kidnapping, and promoting extremist religious ideology.

The convicts are Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar.

Abdulrazak Umar pleaded guilty to Counts 7, 8, 9 and 10, which relate to training and issuing instructions to members of the terrorist group, as well as inciting terrorism through extremist religious teachings.

The DSS had arraigned the defendants on a 10-count charge bordering on kidnapping, concealment of information, and terrorism-related offences, contrary to Section 16(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

According to the charges, the three suspects, all natives of Niger State, knowingly concealed information about individuals involved in terrorist activities, participated in the kidnapping, and used a messaging platform to facilitate terrorist training.

Justice Ibrahim sentenced the three men to life imprisonment on Count 6. Abdulrazak Umar also received life sentences on Counts 7, 9 and 10.

The development comes just a week after the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced two senior Ansaru commanders — Mahmud Muhammad Usman, popularly known as Abu Bara'a, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri (Mallam Mamuda) — to life imprisonment for terrorism-related offences.