The terrorists who attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State and abducted about 45 pupils and teachers have released a new video stating their demands.
In the new video, the principal of one of the schools, Mrs. Alamu described the demands currently trending online as false.
Mrs Alamu said that the terrorists showed them copies of the alleged demands, such as the release of some fighters, payment of a billion naira and the implementation of Sharia law.
The visibly troubled principal lamented that the continuous spread of the alleged demands is complicating their freedom.
She said, “ Hello, everyone. I have come to make some clarifications. Today marks the 24th day we have been in this place, and it seems that some people are making our case complicated already. We were shown some print media that these people who abducted us requested a billion naira, and requested Sharia to be entrenched in the country, these are not true.”
She added, “They are not asking for Sharia law, they are not asking for money, the single thing they are asking for is the release of their people.”
Mrs Alamu continued, “They are not asking for Sharia law, they are not asking for weapons, they are not asking for money, all they are asking for is the release of some people and negotiation, don’t play politics with our lives.”
It would be recalled that a few days ago, some reports alleged that the terrorists demanded the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law before freeing the captives.
According to Saturday PUNCH, two of the terrorists being demanded for release are Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, alias Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, who is also known as Mallam Mamuda.
Bara’a hails from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, while Al-Nigeri is from Daura, Katsina State.
Investigation revealed that the two prisoners are leaders of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (JAMBS/Ansaru), a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, and are alleged to have aided and abetted acts of terrorism in the country between 2013 and 2015.
It was gathered that the suspects were arrested between May and July 2025 and are currently standing trial on terrorism charges in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/464/2025, filed on September 4, 2025.
The trial of the suspects commenced on January 15, 2026, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Speaking on the reasons the government continued to keep the terrorist leaders in custody despite the atrocities they were alleged to have committed, one of the top security officers involved in the trial said, “We did not kill the terrorist leaders immediately they were caught. We have a justice system and court process which must be followed.”