Details of Ansaru Terrorists' Attack in Oriire Revealed in Court

A witness testified on Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja about how the international terrorist group, Al-Qaeda, helped the Ansaru terrorist group plan the attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15.

The witness, known as BBB, had his identity protected by the court.

BBB, who was involved in the investigation of the attack, told Justice Salim Ibrahim that the assault aimed to pressure the federal government into releasing their leaders who had been arrested and were facing prosecution.

He explained that after kidnapping the students and teachers, the terrorists sent a list of 30 names of their leaders and members to the federal government. They demanded their release or threatened to kill the hostages.

BBB is the second witness in the ongoing trial of five suspected members of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru). He recognized the five defendants during his work.

The defendants include two convicted Ansaru commanders and three others convicted earlier this year for their involvement in the May school kidnapping and for killing two victims in Oyo State.

In July, the five were presented before Judge Salim Ibrahim with old charges and four new ones related to their alleged activities in terrorism across the country.

The two convicted leaders are Mahmud Usman Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar, and Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam, Mahmud al-Nigeri, and Malam Mamuda. The SSS claimed Mr. Muhammad was a self-proclaimed Emir of Ansaru, while Mr. Abbas called himself the group’s deputy and chief of staff.

The other defendants are Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa and Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa, known as Yunusa bin Musa, and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also called Abu Itisar.

In July, Judge Emeka Nwite sentenced Messrs Muhammad and Abbas to life imprisonment on July 20 after they confessed to 32 charges from the SSS.

Three days later, Judge Ibrahim sentenced the other three defendants, Messrs Umar, Musa, and Sani, to life imprisonment after they admitted guilt to six out of ten terrorism charges. These charges included their role in the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire in May.

The three were supposed to face a full trial on the remaining four charges. But the prosecution re-filed an amended indictment on July 29, adding six counts and including the two jailed Ansarul leaders as co-defendants.

During the testimony led by Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF) Oyedepo Rotimi, witness BBB stated that Nigerian security forces rescued the hostages after the federal government refused to negotiate and meet the terrorists' demands.

He specifically identified the first defendant, Mr. Muhammad, as one of the founders of Boko Haram, who had once been their head of security and intelligence.

BBB said Mr. Muhammad’s father is from Okene in Kogi State, while his mother is from Borno State. He was among those who left Boko Haram in 2012 to form the Ansaru group, aiming to spread their ideology of Islamic governance in Nigeria and attack foreign nationals.

According to the witness, the group believed that foreign nationals were responsible for harming their Muslim brothers abroad. They decided to kidnap and kill foreigners.

He remembered that the group killed seven foreigners in 2014, which led the United States to label Ansaru a terrorist group and made Muhammad a globally-wanted terrorist.

BBB said Mr. Muhammad led several kidnapping and killing operations when he became the leader of Ansaru, naming the second defendant, Mr. Abbas, as head of operations.

"He (Mahmud Muhammad) led the attack on the Emir of Potiskum, killing 17 military officers and three civilians in one of his operations. He was arrested in 2025. It is their belief that if any leader is arrested, they must do everything to secure his release."

When Abu Bara’a (Muhammad) took charge of Ansaru, he appointed the second defendant as head of operations. When Mr. Muhammad was arrested, Mr. Abbas organized high-profile attacks to secure his release.

On November 4, 2025, they attacked the convoy of House of Representatives member Jafaru Mohammed Ali, who represents Agwara/Borgu. They killed four military personnel and injured four DSS (SSS) operatives.

The attack aimed to kidnap him and negotiate for the release of their leaders, including the first and second defendants.

Their plan included publicly humiliating him and demanding the federal government free the first and second defendants and other members in custody.

They also intended to attack the Wawa Military base in New Bussa, Niger, believing their members were held there.

After the failure of the Wawa attack, some Ansaru members moved to the South West, thinking the media there would help amplify their demands, pressuring the federal government to release their leaders.

BBB stated he was aware of the Oriire attacks and was part of the investigation.

He said, "The attacks were carried out by members of the ANSARU group. After the attack, they moved the victims to a secured spot in a forest near Old Oyo National Park. They made demands and submitted a list of 30 members, including their leaders, warning that if their requests were not met, they would kill the victims."

He added, "They were very hostile. Later, security agencies launched an offensive in the forest. They shot at the security forces and killed one victim, threatening to kill more if attempts were made to rescue them."

After the terrorists killed two victims from the Oriire attack, the security forces recognized the need to act, understanding that Ansaru had a history of indiscriminate killings.

Describing how he knew the third, fourth, and fifth defendants, BBB said, "They are members of the ANSARU group who communicated with some commanders, especially one who held the Oriire victims."

He explained that the Oriire attacks were executed to follow an ideology set by the leaders that if their top leaders were arrested, members should carry out operations to force the government to release them.

BBB said those behind the Oriire attacks pressured the government to release their leaders, but the federal government did not negotiate with them.

"They submitted a list that included the names of the first and second defendants, demanding their release or else they would kill all the victims."

The security agencies managed to rescue the victims but at a cost. They lost personnel, including a senior police officer and an Army officer.

Two victims were also killed before the rescue operation, the witness said.

Judge Ibrahim adjourned the case until Tuesday for the trial to continue.

The May 15 attack on schools in Yawota and nearby Ahoro-Esinele community led to the abduction of 46 schoolchildren and teachers. The victims spent 56 days in captivity before being freed on July 10.

The attack targeted Baptist Nursery and Primary School, L.A. Primary School (Ahoro-Esinele), and Community Grammar School (Ahoro-Esinele).

Their rescue followed weeks of coordinated efforts by the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigeria Police Force, the State Security Service (SSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Amotekun Corps, local hunters, and vigilantes.

The rescue operation came at a heavy price. Security personnel and three teachers, including the beheaded mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun, lost their lives during the abduction and the rescue efforts.