The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed fresh terrorism charges against two convicted Ansaru commanders and three other members of the terrorist group over their alleged involvement in the attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The five defendants were arraigned on Wednesday before Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where they pleaded not guilty to a six-count terrorism charge.

The defendants are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, whom the DSS identified as the leader of Ansaru; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam, Mahmud al-Nigeri or Malam Mamuda, described as the group's deputy leader and chief of staff; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Yunusa bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.

The fresh charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026, was filed on July 29 by M.E. Ernest, counsel to the DSS, and contains six terrorism-related counts.

The new prosecution comes just days after the defendants were convicted in separate trials over their roles in the same attack.

On July 20, Justice Emeka Nwite sentenced Muhammad and Abbas to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to a 32-count terrorism charge. Three days later, the same judge sentenced Umar, Musa and Sani to life imprisonment after they admitted their involvement in the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire LGA.

At Wednesday's proceedings, DSS counsel Calistus Eze informed the court that the charge had been amended to include all five defendants and requested that it be read to them. The defence raised no objection.

After the amended charge was read, each of the defendants entered a plea of not guilty.

The prosecution urged the court to fix a date for trial and asked that the defendants remain in DSS custody pending the conclusion of the case. Although the defence opposed the application, Justice Ibrahim dismissed the objection.

The court subsequently ordered that the defendants be remanded in DSS custody but directed that they be granted unrestricted access to their legal counsel and two family members. The matter was adjourned until September 25 for the commencement of trial.

According to the charge, the alleged offences are punishable under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants participated in the May 15 attack on three schools in Oriire LGA, during which seven teachers and 39 pupils were abducted.

One of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was allegedly beheaded while in captivity, with the attackers reportedly circulating a video of the killing. Authorities also confirmed that another teacher, John Olaleye, died in captivity, bringing the number of teachers killed during the incident to two.

The remaining five teachers and all 39 pupils were rescued after spending 56 days in captivity.

The DSS further alleged that before the victims were freed, the kidnappers demanded the release of Muhammad and Abbas as part of negotiations for the hostages' release.