The Federal Government has arraigned five persons, including two alleged commanders of the proscribed terrorist group Ansaru, before a vacation judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged involvement in the abduction and beheading of two teachers kidnapped from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The defendants were brought before Justice Salim Ibrahim, who is sitting as a vacation judge of the Federal High Court.

Those arraigned are Abubakar Abba Mahmuda, also known as Abu Bara'a, Abubakar Abbas, alias Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri, and three other suspects whom the Department of State Services (DSS) described as foot soldiers allegedly involved in the Oriire school attack.

Although the two alleged Ansaru commanders were arrested by the DSS in August 2025, the fresh charges relate to their alleged roles in the terrorist operation that led to the killing of two teachers abducted from schools in Oriire.

Following their arraignment, Justice Ibrahim ordered that the five defendants be remanded in the custody of the DSS and adjourned the matter until September 24 for the commencement of trial.

The fresh prosecution comes barely a week after the same court convicted three other suspects linked to the Oriire school attack.

On July 23, Justice Ibrahim sentenced Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar, to life imprisonment.

They pleaded guilty to some of the allegations contained in a 10-count charge filed by the Federal Government.

The charges bordered on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement and illegal mining.

During the proceedings, the three defendants admitted concealing information about the masterminds of the attack on the schools in Oriire.

They also acknowledged being members of Darul Salam, which the prosecution described as an affiliate of Jama'atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a terrorist organisation proscribed in Nigeria.

All three defendants pleaded guilty to counts four and six of the charge.

In addition, the first defendant, Abdulrazak Umar (Abu Khalid), pleaded guilty to counts seven, eight, nine and ten, which accused him of providing training and instructions to terrorists through a WhatsApp group.

He also admitted engaging in illegal gold mining activities at streams in the Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State between 2024 and 2026, contrary to Section 8(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

Despite their guilty pleas on some counts, all three convicts maintained that they did not physically participate in the Oriire school attack and pleaded not guilty to the remaining counts one, two, three and five.

Justice Ibrahim consequently fixed September 16 and 17 for their trial on the outstanding charges.