A Department of State Services (DSS) operative has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that international terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda supported members of the proscribed Ansaru group in attacks on schools in Oyo State, allegedly carried out to pressure the Federal Government into releasing detained leaders.
The witness, identified as BBB, gave the testimony on Monday during the trial of five men accused of involvement in the attacks in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15.
According to the witness, the assailants abducted students and teachers and subsequently submitted a list of 30 alleged members and leaders of their group whom they wanted the government to release. He said the kidnappers threatened to kill their captives if their demands were not met.
The five defendants standing trial are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, alias Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa and Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.
They are accused of being members of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as Ansaru, a proscribed terrorist organisation.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN, the DSS operative said he knew the defendants through his official duties and had participated in investigations into the Oriire incident.
Witness Links Alleged Attacks to Detained Leaders
BBB told the court that the attacks formed part of an alleged strategy by Ansaru members to secure the release of senior commanders arrested by security agencies.
He identified the first defendant, Muhammad, as one of the founding members of Boko Haram who later left the group in 2012 to establish Ansaru with other members.
The witness alleged that Muhammad subsequently became Ansaru’s leader and appointed the second defendant, Abbas, as head of operations.
According to BBB, Muhammad was arrested in 2025, after which other members allegedly identified high profile targets for attacks intended to force the government to release him and other detained commanders.
The witness also linked the group to an attack on the convoy of a member of the House of Representatives, Jafaru Mohammed Ali, who represents Agwara/Borgu. He told the court that the incident occurred on November 4, 2025, and resulted in the deaths of four military personnel, while four DSS operatives sustained injuries.
BBB said the alleged plan was to abduct the lawmaker and use him as leverage in negotiations for the release of detained Ansaru members.
He further testified that the group had considered attacking Wawa Military Base in New Bussa, Niger State, because its members believed some of their detained associates were being held there.
Attackers Allegedly Moved Captives to Forest
After the reported plan to attack the military base failed, Ansaru members allegedly relocated to the South-West, where they believed media coverage of further attacks could increase pressure on the Federal Government.
The witness said those involved in the Oriire attacks moved their captives to a forest near the Old Oyo National Park after abducting them.
He told the court that the kidnappers submitted the list of 30 people they wanted released and threatened to kill the hostages if the government rejected their demands.
BBB said the abductors were hostile towards the victims and security personnel who attempted to rescue them.
According to his testimony, security agencies later launched an operation in the forest after the kidnappers allegedly killed two captives and threatened to murder the remaining victims.
He said the attackers opened fire on security personnel during the operation, adding that the rescue effort was complicated by the group’s alleged willingness to kill hostages.
DSS Details Investigation and Rescue Efforts
The witness also told the court that security agencies adopted measures intended to stop further killings while preparing to rescue the captives.
He alleged that the wife of the second defendant and relatives of other suspected commanders were taken into custody during the security operation. According to him, the action was intended to deter the kidnappers from killing more victims.
BBB said the killings stopped before the rescue operation was completed.
He added that the operation resulted in the release of the surviving captives, although security personnel, including a senior police officer and an Army officer, were killed. Two of the abducted victims had also died before the rescue operation.
The witness further alleged that the third, fourth and fifth defendants were members of Ansaru who communicated with commanders linked to the captives.
He said the alleged operations were connected to a strategy under which members would carry out attacks and kidnappings whenever senior leaders were arrested, with the aim of forcing the government to release them.
Trial Continues Over Alleged Terrorist Activities
BBB’s testimony forms part of the prosecution’s case against the five defendants over their alleged roles in Ansaru’s activities and the attacks in Oriire.
The witness also gave background information on the group, alleging that its members targeted foreign nationals because of their belief that foreigners were killing Muslims abroad.
He told the court that the killing of seven foreign nationals in 2014 led the United States to designate Ansaru as a terrorist organisation and declare Muhammad wanted internationally.
