A Federal High Court in Abuja heard on Monday that international terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda supported members of the proscribed terrorist group Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) in carrying out the May 15 attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The court also heard that the attacks were intended to pressure the Federal Government into releasing ANSARU leaders arrested and prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS).
A DSS operative, identified as BBB, who testified as the second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of five alleged ANSARU members, said the group submitted a list of 30 leaders and members it wanted released, threatening to kill abducted students and teachers if the government refused.
The five defendants are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa and Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.
According to the prosecution, the defendants are from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State and Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Oyedepo Rotimi (SAN), the witness said the rescue operation was triggered by the government’s refusal to negotiate with the terrorists or meet their demands.
BBB said he knew the defendants through his official duties and identified Muhammad as one of the founding members of Boko Haram, who previously served as the group’s head of security and intelligence.
He told the court that Muhammad left Boko Haram in 2012 and helped establish ANSARU to pursue its ideology of Islamic governance in Nigeria and attacks against foreign nationals.
The witness said the group believed foreign nationals were killing Muslims abroad, a position it used to justify kidnapping and killing foreigners.
He recalled that the killing of seven foreign nationals by ANSARU members in 2014 led to the United States designating the group as a terrorist organisation and declaring Muhammad a globally wanted terrorist.
According to BBB, Muhammad later assumed ANSARU’s leadership and appointed the second defendant, Abbas, as head of operations, leading a series of kidnappings and killings.
The witness said Muhammad was arrested in 2025 and that the group’s ideology required members to carry out attacks to secure the release of detained leaders.
“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 a House of Representatives member,” he said.
BBB told the court that the attack on the convoy of Jafaru Mohammed Ali, who represents Agwara/Borgu, resulted in the deaths of four military personnel and injuries to four DSS operatives.
He said the group intended to abduct the lawmaker and use him as leverage to secure the release of its detained leaders, including the first and second defendants.
The witness added that ANSARU members also planned to attack the Wawa Military Base in New Bussa, Niger State, believing their detained members were being held there.
After the planned attack failed, he said, the group relocated to the South-West, where it believed media organisations could publicise its demands and increase pressure on the government.
Addressing the Oriire attacks, BBB said ANSARU members moved their victims to a secured location in a forest near Old Oyo National Park and submitted a list of 30 members, including their leaders, for release.
“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,” he said.
The witness said security agencies decided to launch a rescue operation after two victims were killed, citing the group’s history of violence against civilians.
He further told the court that security operatives arrested the wife of the second defendant and relatives of some commanders involved in the attacks as part of the strategy to stop further killings.
“Security men took the wife of the second defendant, including other family members of the commanders, who were active then. They were warned that if they killed any victims, their family members would also be killed.
“That was what led to the stoppage of the killing of the victims until the rescue operation was carried out. Two victims were killed in the Oriire attack,” he said.
BBB identified the third, fourth and fifth defendants as ANSARU members who allegedly communicated with commanders, including one said to have been holding the abducted victims.
He maintained that the attacks were carried out in line with the group’s strategy of targeting high-profile individuals and locations to compel the government to release detained leaders.
The witness said the Federal Government refused to negotiate despite the threats, while security agencies eventually secured the release of the remaining victims.
He added that security personnel, including a senior police officer and an Army officer, were killed during the operation, while two abducted victims had been murdered before the rescue.
Further hearing in the case is scheduled for Tuesday at 9am before Justice Salim Ibrahim.