Ansaru Terror Group Kidnapped Oyo Pupils to Secure Release of Leaders, Court Hears

A Federal High Court in Abuja revealed on Monday that the proscribed terrorist group, Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), orchestrated the May 15 kidnappings of pupils and teachers in Oyo State as leverage to pressure the Federal Government into releasing their detained leaders.

During the trial of five alleged Ansaru members, a Department of State Services operative, referred to as BBB, testified that the group received support from the international terrorist organization Al-Qaeda for their operations. The terrorists had submitted a list of 30 leaders they wanted freed, threatening to kill their captives if their demands went unmet.

The defendants, including Mahmud Muhammad (aka Abu Bara’a) and Abbas Mukhtar, are facing serious charges related to the kidnappings. Testifying as the second prosecution witness, BBB revealed that the group’s ideology centers around establishing Islamic governance in Nigeria and targeting foreign nationals.

He explained that Muhammad, a former Boko Haram member, had formed Ansaru in 2012. The group’s members began targeting foreigners after their belief that foreign nationals were harming Muslims abroad. The witness recalled a notorious incident in 2014 when Ansaru killed seven foreign hostages, leading the U.S. to designate the group as a terrorist organization.

BBB further stated that following Muhammad’s arrest in 2025, Ansaru planned several attacks to force the government to negotiate for his release. This included an attack on a convoy belonging to a member of the House of Representatives, resulting in the deaths of four military personnel.

The court learned that the group attempted to kidnap the lawmaker to use him as a bargaining chip for the release of their detained members. They also targeted a military base in Niger State, believing that their captured members were being held there.

Regarding the Oyo kidnappings, BBB confirmed that the victims were taken to a secure location in a forest near the Old Oyo National Park. The terrorists issued demands for the release of their members, warning that captives would face dire consequences if the government did not comply.

The witness described the hostile response of the terrorists to security operatives attempting a rescue, noting that one captive was killed during confrontations. Security agencies resorted to taking family members of the terrorists as hostages to prevent further bloodshed.

Despite the threats, the government refused to negotiate, and security forces eventually managed to rescue the remaining victims. However, two captives lost their lives before the operation, as did several security personnel.

BBB asserted that the kidnappings were part of a broader strategy by Ansaru to retaliate whenever their leaders were arrested, aiming to compel the government to act. The court proceedings will continue on Tuesday at 9 AM before Justice Salim Ibrahim.