By TAIYE AGBAJE

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday rearraigned two convicted Ansaru terror commanders and three other convicts in the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The five terrorists were arraigned before Justice Salim Ibrahim over their alleged involvement in the killings of two teachers among the seven teachers and 39 students abducted in Oyo State.

Those rearraigned are Mahmud Muhammad, a.k.a Abu Bara’a/Abbas Mukhtar, the self-styled Emir of Ansaru; and Abubakar Abbas, a.k.a Isah Adam/Mahmud al-Nigeri/Malam Mamuda, who is the deputy and chief of staff to Bara’a.

The three other men, arraigned alongside the two commanders, are Abdulrazak Umar (a.k.a. Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid), Yunusa Musa (a.k.a. Yunusa bin Musa) and Shamsu Adamu Sani (a.k.a. Abu Itisar).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Emeka Nwite of a sister court had, on July 20, sentenced Muhammad and Abbas to a life Imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to the 32-count terrorism charge preferred against them by the DSS.

Also, Justice Ibrahim had, on July 23, committed Umar, Musa and Sani to life imprisonment following their guilty plea to the allegations of their involvement in the recent kidnap of school children and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo State.

The DSS, in the trial, had filed a 10-count charge against them.

Although the two judges gave the convicts the maximum sentencing in line with the prescribed laws in the charges, the security outfit was dissatisfied with the development, prompting the agency to file a fresh charge against the five men.

The latest charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026, had six counts that bordered on terrorism.

The charge, dated and filed on July 29 by the DSS lawyer, M.E. Ernest, had Mahmud Muhammad, Abubakar Abbas, Abudulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.

The DSS lawyer, Calistus Eze, informed the court that the matter was for the defendants to take their plea.

He said an amended charge had been filed on July 29.

He urged the court to allow the amended charge which contained the names of the five convicts to be read to them.

The defence lawyer did not object.

After the charge was read to the defendants, they all pleaded not guilty to the fresh charge.

Eze then sought a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its case against the defendants.

The lawyer also applied that the defendants be remanded in custody of the DSS.

Although the defence lawyer objected, Justice Ibrahim overruled him in a ruling.

The judge, however, ordered that the defendants be given unrestricted access to their lawyer and two of their family members before adjourning the matter until Sept. 25 for commencement of trial.

The DSS said the offence is contrary to Section 2(3) (g) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 24(2) of the same Act.

The offence Is also contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under the same section of the Act, among other counts.

NAN reports that terrorists killed one teacher and abducted seven teachers and 39 pupils when they attacked three schools in Oriire LGA on May 15.

One teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was later beheaded by the attackers, who publicly flaunted the act in a video that went viral.

After the rescue of the abductees, authorities later confirmed that Deacon John Olaleye, another teacher, was also killed, bringing the number of teachers killed in captivity to two.

The 39 pupils and five surviving teachers, who spent 56 days in captivity, were rescued.

Earlier before their rescue, the terrorists demanded the release of the two Ansaru commanders (Muhammad and Abbas) as part of the bargain for the release of the abductees. (NAN)

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