A witness for the Federal Government on Monday narrated before the Federal High Court in Abuja how Al-Qaeda, an international terrorist organisation, supported Ansaru members in planning the May 15 attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The witness, whose identity was not disclosed due to security reasons, and identified as “BBB”, told Justice Salim Ibrahim that the attack was to force the Federal Government to release their leaders who were arrested and being prosecuted.
The witness told the court that upon the kidnap of the students and teachers, the terrorists submitted a list containing 30 names of their leaders and members to the government, asking that they be released, else they would kill the victims.
BBB, who is the 2nd prosecution witness (PW-2) in the ongoing trial of the five suspected members of Jama’’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), said he knew the five defendants in the course of his official duties.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the suspects are Mahmud Muhammad (aka Abu Bara’a, Abbas Mukhtar); Abubakar Abbas (aka Isah Adam, Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri); Abdulrazak Umar (aka Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid); Yunusa Musa (aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (aka Abu Itisar).
According to the prosecution, the defendants are from Okene Local Government Area, Kogi State; Daura LGA, Katsina State, and Suleja LGA, Niger State.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN, BBB said the operation effected by security agents, leading to the kidnap victims’ rescue, was informed by government’s refusal to negotiate with the terrorists or accede to their demands.
The witness added that he particularly knew the 1st defendant (Muhammad) in Maiduguri as one of the founding fathers of Boko Haram, who once served as the group’s Head of Security and Intelligence.
He said Muhammad, whose father is from Okene and his mother from Borno, was among those who left Boko Haram in 2012 and set up the ANSARU group to propagate their ideology of establishing Islamic governance in the country and carrying out attacks on foreign nationals.
The witness said the group’s members believed that foreign nationals were killing their Muslim brothers abroad, hence their decision to kidnap and kill foreigners.
He recalled that the group’s killing of seven foreigners in 2014 made the United States to designate Ansaru as a proscribed terrorist group and declared Muhammad a globally-wanted terrorist.
BBB said Muhammad led a series of kidnap and killing operations when he took over the leadership of Ansaru and named the 2nd defendant (Abbas) as the Head of Operations.
“He (Mahmud Mohammed) led the attack on the Emir of Potiskum. 17 military officers and three civilians were also killed in one of the operations he carried out.
“He was arrested in 2025. It is part of their ideology that once any of their leaders is arrested, they will do anything to ensure his release.
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“When Abu Bara’a (Muhammad) became the leader of Ansaru, he made the 2nd defendant the head of operations. When the 1st defendant was arrested, the 2nd defendant identified high profile operations to be carried out to ensure that he is released.
“On November 4, 2025 they attacked the convoy of House of Representatives member,
Jafaru Mohammed Ali, representing Agwara/Borgu; killed four military personnel and injured four DSS personnel.
“The reason for the attack was to kidnap him and negotiate for the release of the leaders, among whom are the 1st and 2nd defendants.
“Their plan was to kidnap him, humiliate him publicly and demand that the FG release the 1st and 2nd defendants who were in custody.
“They also planned to attack Wawa Military base in New Bussa because they thought their members were being kept there.
“When the attack on Wawa failed, members of ANSARU strategically relocated to the South West, where they believed there were media houses to help amplify their demands to make the FG agree to the release of the 1st and 2nd defendants and other of their members being held by the state,” he said.
The witness, who said he was aware of the Oriire attacks, added that he was part of those who investigated the case.
BBB said: “The attacks were carried out by members of the ANSARU group. When they carried out the attack, they moved the victims to a secured location in a forest close to Old Oyo National Park.
“They made a demand and submitted a list of 30 members, including their leaders to the government, warning that if their demands were not met, they would kill the victims.
“They were very hostile. The security agencies later launched an offensive at the forest.
“They shot at the security operatives and slaughtered one of the victims and threatened to kill others if there were efforts to rescue the victims.”
The witness said after the terrorists killed two of the victims of the Oriire attacks, the security operatives saw the need to launch a rescue operation, knowing that the ANSARU members had a history of reckless killing of innocent souls.
Describing how he knew the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants, the witness said: “They are members of the ANSARU group that were in communication with some of the commanders, particularly one of the commanders, who was holding the Oriire victims.”
He stated that members of the ANSARU group carried out the Oriire attacks in furtherance of an ideology that was put in place by the leaders – the 1st and 2nd defendants – that in the event of the arrest of their top leaders, members should engage in series of operations (attacks) to force the FG to release their arrested leaders.
BBB said those behind the Oriire attacks actually pressurised the government to release their leaders, but that the Federal Government refused to negotiate with them.
“They (the terrorists) submitted a list, including the names of 1st and 2nd defendants, who they wanted the government to release else they will kill all the victims.
“Security agencies were able to secure the release of the victims.
“But unfortunately, we lost security personnel, including a senior police officer and an Army officer.
“Two of the victims were also murdered prior to the rescue operation,” the witness said.
Justice Ibrahim adjourned the matter until October 13 for continuation of trial.
NAN
