A Federal High Court in Abuja heard on Monday that Al-Qaeda supported members of the proscribed terrorist group Ansaru in planning the May 15 kidnappings of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
A prosecution witness, identified as BBB, told the court that the attacks were intended to pressure the Federal Government into releasing detained Ansaru leaders.
The witness said the group submitted a list of 30 members, including its leaders, to the government and threatened to kill the kidnapped victims if its demands were not met.
BBB testified as the second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of five men accused of involvement in the attacks. The defendants 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 prosecution said the defendants are from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State and Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN, BBB said security agencies launched the rescue operation after the Federal Government refused to negotiate with the terrorists.
Witness Links Defendants to Ansaru Operations
BBB said he knew the defendants through his official duties. He identified the first defendant, Muhammad, as one of Boko Haram’s founding members, who previously served as the group’s head of security and intelligence.
According to the witness, Muhammad’s father is from Okene in Kogi State, while his mother is from Borno State. He said Muhammad left Boko Haram in 2012 with other members to establish Ansaru.
The witness said the group sought to establish Islamic governance in Nigeria and targeted foreign nationals because its members believed foreigners were killing Muslims abroad.
He recalled that Ansaru members killed seven foreign nationals in 2014, an operation he said led the United States to designate the group as a terrorist organisation and declare Muhammad a globally wanted terrorist.
BBB said Muhammad later assumed Ansaru’s leadership and led several kidnapping and killing operations, appointing the second defendant, Abbas, as 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,” the witness told the court.
He said Muhammad was arrested in 2025 and that the group’s ideology required members to carry out attacks to secure the release of detained leaders. “When the first defendant was arrested, the second defendant identified high profile operations to be carried out to ensure that he is released.”
The witness told the court that on November 4, 2025, Ansaru members attacked the convoy of Jafaru Mohammed Ali, a House of Representatives member representing Agwara/Borgu.
He said four military personnel were killed and four Department of State Services personnel were injured in the attack.
According to BBB, the group intended to kidnap the lawmaker and use him to negotiate the release of Muhammad, Abbas and other detained members.
The witness added that the group also planned to attack the Wawa military base in New Bussa, Niger State, because its members believed their detained colleagues were being held there.
After the planned attack failed, Ansaru members relocated to the South-West, where they believed media organisations could publicise their demands and increase pressure on the government, he said.
BBB said he participated in the investigation of the Oriire kidnappings and that Ansaru members carried out the attacks as part of the group’s strategy to secure the release of detained leaders.
The witness said the attackers moved the kidnapped students and teachers to a secure location in a forest near 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.”
BBB told the court that the kidnappers resisted security operations and threatened to kill more victims if the rescue effort continued.
He said security agencies decided to launch an offensive after the terrorists killed two of the kidnapped victims, citing the group’s history of killing innocent people.
The witness said the government refused to release the detained members despite the threats. “They (the terrorists) submitted a list, including the names of first and second defendants, who they wanted the government to release else they will kill all the victims.”
Security agencies eventually rescued the remaining victims, but the operation came at a cost, according to BBB. “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 also identified the third, fourth and fifth defendants as Ansaru members who communicated with commanders, including one who was holding the Oriire victims.
Further hearing in the case is scheduled for Tuesday at 9am before Justice Salim Ibrahim.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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