A federal government witness on Monday told the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, how the international terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda supported members of the Ansaru terrorist group in planning the May 15 attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo State.
The witness, whose identity was not disclosed for security reasons, was identified as “BBB”.
He told Justice Salim Ibrahim that the attack was intended to force the federal government to release their leaders who had been arrested and were being prosecuted.
The witness told the court that following the abduction of the students and teachers, the terrorists submitted a list containing the names of 30 of their leaders and members to the federal government, demanding their release or threatening to kill the victims.
BBB, the second prosecution witness (PW-2) in the ongoing trial of 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 suspects are Mahmud Muhammad (aka Abu Bara’a, Abbas Mukhtar); Abubakar Abbas (aka Isah Adam, 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 LGA in Kogi State, Daura LGA in Katsina State, and Suleja LGA in Niger State.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN, BBB said the security operation that led to the rescue of the abducted victims was prompted by the federal government’s refusal to negotiate with the terrorists and accede to their demands.
The witness added that he particularly knew the first defendant, Muhammad, in Maiduguri, where he was one of the founding fathers of Boko Haram and had once served as the group’s head of security and intelligence.
He said Mr Muhammad, whose father is from Okene in Kogi State and whose mother is from Borno State, was among those who left Boko Haram in 2012 to establish Ansaru and propagate their ideology of establishing Islamic governance in the country and carrying out attacks on foreign nationals.
The witness said members of the group 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 foreign nationals in 2014 prompted the United States to designate Ansaru as a proscribed terrorist group and declare Mr Muhammad a globally wanted terrorist.
BBB said Mr Muhammad led a series of kidnapping and killing operations after taking over the leadership of Ansaru and appointed 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. He was arrested in 2025. It is part of their ideology that once any of their leaders are arrested, they will do anything to ensure their release. When Abu Bara’a (Muhammad) became the leader of Ansaru, he made the second defendant the head of operations.
“When the first defendant was arrested, the second 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 members
Jafaru Mohammed Ali, representing Agwara/Borgu, killed four military personnel and injured four SSS personnel. The reason for the attack was to kidnap him and negotiate for the release of the leaders, among whom are the first and second defendants.
“Their plan was to kidnap him, humiliate him publicly and demand that the FG release the first and second defendants who were in custody. They also planned to attack the Wawa Military base in New Bussa, Niger, 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 among 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 that after the terrorists killed two of the victims of the Oriire attacks, security operatives saw the need to launch a rescue operation, knowing that Ansaru members had a history of recklessly killing innocent people.
Describing how he knew the third, fourth and fifth 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 established by their leaders, the first and second defendants. Under the ideology, members were expected to carry out a series of operations (attacks) to force the Federal Government to release their arrested leaders if the top leaders were arrested.
BBB said those behind the Oriire attacks had indeed pressured the government to release their leaders, but the Federal Government refused to negotiate with them.
“They (the terrorists) submitted a list, including the names of the first and second defendants, whom they wanted the government to release, or 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.
Mr Ibrahim adjourned the matter until October 13 for continuation of the trial.
(NAN)
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