Oyo Abductions: DSS Moves To Re-Arraign Five Suspected Ansaru Members

The Department of State Services (DSS) is expected to re-arraign five suspected members of the Ansaru terrorist group before the Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged involvement in the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the suspects are facing a six-count amended charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, on behalf of the Federal Government. The case is marked FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026 and is connected to the May 15 abduction, during which two victims were reportedly killed.

The accused persons are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa and Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.

The suspects were initially scheduled to appear before Justice Saliu Ibrahim on Wednesday, but the arraignment was delayed after Muhammad objected to representation by a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council.

A Deputy Director of the Legal Aid Council, Akilaluyel Shettima, had informed the court that he was appearing on behalf of the five defendants. However, Muhammad, speaking for the accused persons, told the court that they had previously engaged lawyer Bala Dakum and wanted him to continue representing them.

“We had been represented by Bala Dakum as our lawyer before, and we would want him to continue to defend us,” Muhammad said.

In response, Oyedepo acknowledged that the defendants have a constitutional right to legal representation of their choice. He also stated that the DSS was committed to following due process and was focused on ensuring that justice was served rather than persecuting the accused persons.

Following the development, Justice Ibrahim adjourned the matter until Thursday for the defendants to be re-arraigned.

The judge directed the suspects to contact Dakum and ensure that he was available in court for the proceedings. He also ordered the DSS to grant the defendants access to their chosen lawyer to enable them to adequately prepare their defence in accordance with the law.