The Department of State Services (DSS) has re-arraigned five men accused of involvement in the May 15 abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The defendants were also accused of complicity in the subsequent killing of two of the kidnapped victims.
They were re-arraigned before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on a seven-count charge bordering on terrorism and kidnapping.
The five suspects were accused by the prosecution of being members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladis Sudan, popularly known as Ansaru, a terrorist group.
They pleaded not guilty to all seven counts.
Following their pleas, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, who led the DSS legal team, urged the court to fix an early date for the commencement of trial in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Oyedepo also asked the court to protect prosecution witnesses by shielding their identities and allowing them to testify while wearing masks.
The defence counsel, Bala Dakum, did not object to the application.
Justice Salim Ibrahim consequently granted the prosecution’s request and ordered that measures be put in place to protect the witnesses during the proceedings.
The judge adjourned the case until October 18, 2026, for further proceedings and ordered that the defendants remain in DSS custody pending the next adjourned date.
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