A Federal High Court in Abuja has been informed that the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru) terror group orchestrated the kidnapping of pupils, students, and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15, 2026, as part of a strategy to compel the Federal Government to release their detained leaders. This revelation came during the trial of five alleged members of the group, where a Department of State Services operative, referred to as BBB, testified as a key witness.

According to BBB, the kidnappers aimed to exert pressure on the government by threatening to kill their captives unless their demands were met. The group had submitted a list of 30 members they wanted released, which included their leaders. The witness noted that the operation received backing from the international terrorist organization, Al-Qaeda.

The defendants in the trial include Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a, and Abbas Mukhtar, along with three others: Abubakar Abbas (aka Isah Adam), Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri, Abdulrazak Umar (aka Abu Khalifa), Yunusa Musa (aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (aka Abu Itisar). They are charged with involvement in the kidnappings and related attacks.

In his testimony, BBB explained that the security agencies launched a rescue operation after the government refused to negotiate with the terrorists. He revealed that Muhammad, one of the defendants, was a founding member of Boko Haram before establishing Ansaru in 2012. Muhammad had previously served as Boko Haram's head of security and intelligence before he broke away to pursue Ansaru’s ideology of establishing Islamic governance in Nigeria.

The witness recounted how the Ansaru group had previously targeted foreign nationals, believing they were responsible for the deaths of Muslims abroad. He highlighted a significant incident in 2014, where seven foreign nationals were killed by the group, leading to its designation as a terrorist organization by the United States, which also declared Muhammad a globally wanted terrorist.

BBB further testified that after Muhammad's arrest in 2025, Ansaru planned several attacks, including an assault on a convoy belonging to a member of the House of Representatives, which resulted in the deaths of four military personnel and injuries to four operatives of the Department of State Services. The group aimed to kidnap the lawmaker to negotiate the release of their detained leaders.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that the kidnapped victims were initially held in a forest near the Old Oyo National Park. The terrorists threatened to kill the captives if their demands were not met, and one victim was reportedly killed during the confrontation with security forces. In a bid to prevent further casualties, security agencies arrested family members of the group’s commanders, warning that any further killings would result in retaliation against their families.

Despite the threats, the government did not engage in negotiations, and security forces eventually managed to secure the release of the surviving victims. However, the witness confirmed that two captives were killed before the rescue operation was launched, alongside casualties among security personnel. The trial is set to continue on Tuesday at 9 am before Justice Salim Ibrahim.