Nigeria begins trial of five suspected Ansaru members over school kidnapping

Nigeria's state security service on Thursday opened the trial of five suspected members of ​the Islamist group Ansaru over the abduction of pupils and ‌teachers from schools in southwestern Oyo State.

• The defendants — Mahmud Muhammad, Abubakar Abbas, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Sani — pleaded ​not guilty to seven terrorism-related counts before Federal ​High Court Judge Salim Ibrahim in Abuja.
• They face ⁠sentences ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment if ​convicted. If prosecutors prove that deaths resulted from the ​kidnapping, they could face the death penalty, under Nigeria's 2022 anti-terrorism law.
• The first prosecution witness, identified only as "AAA", told the court ​that gunmen entered the schools on May 15, ​firing shots before taking seven teachers and 39 pupils into a ‌forest, ⁠where they were held for 56 days.
• Prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo sought protection for witnesses, citing the case's sensitivity. Defence lawyer Bala Dakum did not object but requested permission ​to see witnesses ​during cross-examination. ⁠The judge granted both requests.
• Mass kidnappings for ransom have spread across Nigeria, though ​large school raids have been less common in ​the southwest.
• In ⁠July, the presidency said security forces had rescued 39 pupils and six teachers and arrested eight suspected kidnappers.
• In May, ⁠one ​teacher was killed in captivity and ​security personnel were wounded by explosives during an attempted rescue.

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