DSS Seeks Death Penalty for Convicted Oriire School Kidnappers, Rejects Life Sentence

The Department of State Services (DSS) has announced plans to challenge the life imprisonment handed down to three men convicted over the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, insisting that the severity of their crimes warrants the death penalty.

The security agency expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja, arguing that the sentence does not adequately reflect the gravity of the offences, particularly the alleged beheading of two teachers during the attack. According to the DSS, such an act amounts to a capital offence under Nigerian law and should attract the maximum punishment.

The 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 filed against them by the Federal Government.

Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court convicted the trio after they admitted to several offences, including membership of Darul Salam, a group identified by authorities as an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist organisation Ansaru. The defendants also pleaded guilty to concealing information relating to the kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oriire.

Court proceedings further revealed that Abdulrazak Umar pleaded guilty to additional charges involving the training and indoctrination of members of a WhatsApp group allegedly used to spread extremist ideology and incite acts of terrorism. He was also accused of receiving terrorist training and passing instructions to members of the group.

The prosecution had arraigned the suspects on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, concealment of information, incitement, and other offences under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Despite securing convictions, the DSS maintained that life imprisonment falls short of the punishment deserved by the convicts, especially in view of the brutal killing of two teachers allegedly carried out by members of the terrorist group involved in the abduction.

The agency said it would pursue an appeal at the appropriate appellate court, seeking to have the sentence reviewed and replaced with the death penalty, arguing that justice for the victims and the deterrence of future acts of terrorism require a stiffer sanction.