ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has announced plans to appeal the life imprisonment sentences handed to three men convicted over their involvement in the kidnapping of school pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, insisting that the crimes committed warrant the death penalty.
The security agency said it was dissatisfied with the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja, arguing that the punishment imposed failed to reflect the gravity of the offences, particularly the killing of two teachers during the abduction.
The three convicts—Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar—were sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to terrorism-related charges brought against them by the DSS.
According to the agency, the men were members or associates of Darul Salam, a group linked to the Ansaru terrorist organization, and admitted to several offences, including concealing information about terrorist activities and participating in crimes connected to the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers.
Court records show that the defendants pleaded guilty to charges involving membership in a terrorist organization, withholding information about terrorist operations, and promoting extremist ideology. Abdulrazak Umar also admitted to additional offences relating to terrorist training, transmitting instructions to members of the group and inciting others through religious ideology.
The prosecution charged the suspects under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, accusing them of supporting terrorist activities through recruitment, communication and operational assistance. Investigators also alleged that the group used digital messaging platforms to coordinate training and facilitate the activities of the terrorist organization.
Despite securing convictions through the guilty pleas, the DSS maintains that life imprisonment is inadequate given the consequences of the crimes. The agency pointed specifically to the reported beheading of two teachers by members of the terrorist group involved in the school abduction, describing the killings as capital offences that should attract the maximum punishment provided under Nigerian law.
Officials argue that the violent nature of the attacks, coupled with the trauma inflicted on victims, families and communities, requires a stronger judicial response to serve as both punishment and deterrence against terrorism and kidnapping.
Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court sentenced all three defendants to life imprisonment on one of the principal counts after accepting their guilty pleas. Abdulrazak Umar received additional life sentences on several other counts because of his admission to further terrorism-related offences, including receiving terrorist training and spreading extremist ideology.
The DSS has now confirmed that it will challenge the ruling at the appellate court, seeking a review of the sentences with the aim of securing the death penalty for the convicted men.
The latest development comes amid Nigeria’s broader efforts to strengthen the prosecution of terrorism cases and combat violent extremist groups operating in different parts of the country. Authorities have increasingly relied on the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act to prosecute individuals accused of supporting or participating in terrorist activities.
The appeal also follows another recent judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja, where two senior commanders of the Ansaru terrorist group—identified as Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, also known as Mallam Mamuda—were sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted on terrorism-related charges.
The DSS has not indicated when it will formally file its appeal, but the agency maintains that pursuing a harsher sentence is necessary to ensure justice for the victims and reinforce Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.
