The armed men who abducted students and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have stated some conditions for the release of the victims.
The schools attacked are in Esinele, Yawota and Alawusa communities, where gunmen struck on May 15 and took away students and teachers, reports said.
The gunmen have reportedly made four main demands. They demand the release of two terrorist leaders in detention, payment of ransom, provision of two Hilux vehicles, and the acceptance of Sharia-related law.
The two men they are demanding are Mahmud Usman (Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar) and his deputy Abubakar Abba (Isah Adam, Mahmud Al-Nigeri or Mallam Mamuda).
Both are linked to Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan, or Ansaru, a breakaway faction of Boko Haram.
The group has been linked to a string of violent attacks in Nigeria, including the Kuje prison raid in 2022.
Security records show the suspects were arrested between May and July 2025 and are presently on trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Usman has already been convicted of a separate charge of illegal mining after admitting it was used to fund weapons for kidnapping and attacks.
He remains in custody of the Department of State Services while other charges are pending. His deputy has pleaded not guilty to a number of charges and is still on trial.
“They are also demanding for about ₦1bn to be sent to an account in the Republic of Benin.”
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