“We are guilty”: Oriire terrorism suspects confess in court

Three men accused of playing roles in the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have admitted guilt to terrorism-related offences before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The defendants, 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, entered their guilty pleas during proceedings before Justice Salim Ibrahim on Thursday.

The suspects, who are from Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, were arrested by the Department of State Services and are being prosecuted on a 10-count charge.

All three admitted guilt to counts four and six of the charge.

Umar also pleaded guilty to four additional counts, namely counts seven, eight, nine and 10, which relate exclusively to him.

According to count four, the defendants were accused of withholding information between January and May about the activities of Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab, whom prosecutors described as terrorists responsible for the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The charge alleged that despite having knowledge of the suspects and their involvement in the attack, the defendants failed to report the information to the appropriate security agencies.