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DSS To Re-Arraign Five Ansaru Suspects Over Oyo Abductions

Published September 17, 2026 at 8:38 AM

Key Takeaways

The Department of State Services will re-arraign five suspected Ansaru members at the Federal High Court, Abuja today over Oyo State school abductions.
Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, filed a six-count amended charge FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026 over the May 15 abduction that reportedly killed two victims.
Justice Saliu Ibrahim shifted the arraignment to Thursday after Mahmud Muhammad rejected Legal Aid counsel, and ordered DSS to grant access to their chosen lawyer, Bala Dakum.

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 today over their alleged involvement in the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Naija News understands that the suspects are facing allegations connected with the May 15 abduction, during which two of the victims were reportedly killed.

They are to be re-arraigned on a six-count amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026, filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, on behalf of the Federal Government.

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

The suspects were initially scheduled for arraignment on Wednesday before Justice Saliu Ibrahim, but the proceedings could not go ahead after Muhammad objected to representation by a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council.

A Deputy Director of the Legal Aid Council, Akilaluyel Shettima, had announced his appearance for the five defendants.

Muhammad, speaking on behalf of the other accused persons, told the court that they had previously engaged Bala Dakum as their lawyer 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,” he said.

Responding to the objection, Oyedepo acknowledged that the defendants’ right to counsel of their choice was constitutionally protected.

The prosecution counsel also said the DSS was committed to due process and was not interested in persecuting the accused but in ensuring that justice was served.

Following the development, Justice Ibrahim adjourned the case 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.

Justice Ibrahim also ordered the DSS to allow the defendants access to their lawyer so they could prepare their defence in accordance with the law.