The Department of State Services (DSS) has re-arraigned five suspects over the alleged abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The defendants were brought before the Federal High Court on a seven-count amended charge over the May 15, 2026, attack on three schools, which resulted in the abduction of about 46 pupils and teachers and the alleged killing of two victims.

The five suspects — Mahmud Muhammad, Abubakar Abbas, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani — were accused by the prosecution of belonging to Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU), a proscribed terrorist organisation.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, who led the DSS legal team, asked the court to proceed with the trial immediately in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

Oyedopo also requested that the identities of prosecution witnesses be protected and that they be allowed to testify while wearing masks.

Defence counsel, Bala Dakum, did not oppose the applications.

Justice Salim Ibrahim subsequently granted the requests.

In the amended charge, the prosecution alleged that Mahmud Muhammad and Abubakar Abbas directed the other three defendants, described as their “foot soldiers”, to abduct and kill Nigerians across the country if they were arrested.

The prosecution linked the alleged directive to the May 15 attack, during which pupils and teachers were abducted from Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, L.A. Primary School in Esiele and Community Grammar School in Esiele.

The defendants were also accused of complicity in the deaths of two victims identified as Oyedokun and Olaleye. The charge alleged that Olaleye was decapitated.

The prosecution further alleged that the defendants failed to disclose information about an imminent terrorist act and the planned abduction to security and law enforcement agencies.

Another count accused the defendants of conspiring with others to abduct the schoolchildren and teachers.

Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani were separately accused of aiding the alleged abduction, while Mahmud Muhammad and Abubakar Abbas were accused of concealing information relating to an imminent terrorist act allegedly connected to the incident.

The charges were filed under relevant provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The attack occurred on May 15, 2026, when gunmen invaded the three schools located in the Ahoro-Esiele, Yawota and Alawusa communities of Oriire LGA.

The abducted victims spent 56 days in captivity before they were released following a joint security operation.

The Federal Government and the military subsequently said no ransom was paid for their release.

The trial will continue before the Federal High Court.