A Federal High Court in Abuja has heard that international terrorist organisation, Al-Qaeda, supported members of the proscribed 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 was told that the attacks were intended to pressure the Federal Government into releasing detained leaders and members of the group.
A prosecution witness, identified as BBB, disclosed this on Monday while testifying as the second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of five men accused of involvement in the attacks.
According to the witness, following the abduction of students and teachers, the terrorists submitted a list containing 30 names of their leaders and members whom they demanded should be released, threatening to kill the victims if the government failed to comply.
The witness said the subsequent operation by security agencies, which led to the rescue of the abducted victims, followed the Federal Government’s refusal to negotiate with the terrorists or meet their demands.
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 hail 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 Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, BBB said he knew the defendants through his official duties.
He identified the first defendant, Muhammad, as one of the founding members of Boko Haram, who previously served as the group’s Head of Security and Intelligence.
The witness said Muhammad left Boko Haram in 2012 alongside other members to establish ANSARU, with the aim of promoting their ideology of Islamic governance and carrying out attacks against foreign nationals.
He added that members of the group believed foreign nationals were killing Muslims abroad, a belief they allegedly used to justify the kidnapping and killing of foreigners.
BBB further recalled that the group’s killing of seven foreign nationals in 2014 led the United States to designate ANSARU as a terrorist organisation and declare Muhammad a globally wanted terrorist.
The witness also told the court that Muhammad led several kidnapping and killing operations after assuming leadership of ANSARU and appointed the second defendant, Abbas, as the group’s Head of Operations.
