The Federal High Court, Abuja, has sentenced three suspects in the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonment.

Three convicts, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa, and Shamsudin Sani were convicted and sentenced on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

The trio arraigned before Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal high Court Abuja, also pleaded guilty to being members of Darul Salam, an affiliate Ansaru, a proscribed terrorist organization.

The first and third defendant Abdulrazak Umar and Shamsudin Sani pleaded guilty to providing training, instructions, and inciting members of their WhatsApp group titled “The oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace”

Abdulrazak Umar also pleaded guilty to mining of Gold at streams in Chaza area, Suleja LGA, Niger State without lawful authorization.

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to other charges as it affects them respectively.

Justice Salim ordered that the life sentence should start from the date of the convicts’ arrest.

Before the sentencing by Justice Salim Ibrahim, counsel for the defendants pleaded with the court to sentence them on liberal terms.

He added that they were first-time offenders and had pleaded guilty.Ibrahim pointed out that this showed that they were remorseful of their actions, and all the counts they were charged with are not related to the kidnapping.

He added that the convicts were married men who have children and have aged parents who are dependent on them.

He pleaded with the court to give them a second chance at life and sentence them on liberal terms.

Counsel for the prosecution, however, pointed out that the convicts were aware of the people on the battlefield, and as true Nigerians, they should have reported it to the authorities.

The federal government has arraigned the trio over their involvement in the kidnapping of school children and teachers in Oriire local government area of Oyo State, between January and May 2026.

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A Louisiana pastor and author has been convicted of stealing over $340,000 from his congregations to fund his gambling and personal expenses.

Dale Sanders, 56, was found guilty of a 25-count indictment charging him with wire fraud, access device fraud, and obstruction of a federal investigation after a five-day jury trial last week, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Sanders, of Kenner, withdrew funds held in one church’s bank accounts and transferred them to his own pocket to subsidize his lavish personal expenditures — including gambling, dining, and living expenses, prosecutors said.

Sanders worked as a pastor at the Fifth African Baptist Church in New Orleans and Second New Guide Missionary Baptist Church in Metairie, according to his social media.

He also used a church debit card for unauthorized personal transactions and received cash, goods, and services totaling over $340,000, officials said.

The fraud took place between April 2020 and April 2024, according to an indictment.

The cash-obsessed pastor also provided a falsified record in response to a grand jury subpoena, prosecutors detailed.

After Sanders was indicted in April, he posted a video to his social media accounts asking his congregants to “pray” for his “enemy.”

He thanked churchgoers for “calling, texting, seeing me in person, and telling me that you’re praying for me.”

“And believe this,” Sanders said. “I feel your prayers. God is already working and moving by his Spirit.”

“This is what you can do for me … I know you’re praying for me. But I need you to pray a Matthew 5:44 prayer. I need you to pray for my enemy.”

“The Bible says, ‘Pray for them that despitefully use you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my namesake,” he continued. “If you pray for my enemy, God will not only bless me, but he will deal with them.”

The pastor frequently posted videos on social media delivering sermons and singing during his church services.

He also authored the book, “Strut your Stutter,” urging people to “be peacock proud of whoever you are and whatever you’re working with.”

Sanders faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release after serving time behind bars, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count.

He is to be sentenced on Oct. 13.

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Troops of the 112 Task Force Battalion under Operation HADIN KAI, working alongside Hybrid Forces, have arrested five suspected terrorist logistics suppliers during a security operation in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State.

According to the military, the operation, which was conducted at about 1:30 p.m. on July 20, 2026, targeted a suspected logistics network believed to be supporting terrorist activities in the North-East.

According to the military, the suspects were intercepted while transporting 491 cartons of Albe Stark 2.5 per cent veterinary dewormer and 100 cartons of multivitamin injections for animals without the required waybills or supporting documentation.

The military said a subsequent search of the vehicles uncovered additional concealed medical supplies, including 32 cartons of Diclofenac Sodium Injection, 58 cartons of Benzylpenicillin Sodium BP, six cartons of Dexamethasone Injection, and 51 cartons of Metronidazole Intravenous Infusion.

Troops also recovered 30 units of 80-inch LG plasma televisions, 152 empty Bagco sacks, and seven mobile phones.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the consignment was earmarked for a vendor in N’Djamena, Chad, while part of the concealed medical supplies was to be transferred to another truck near the Nigeria-Chad border in what investigators believe was an attempt to evade security checks.

The military said the suspects have been handed over to the 24 Task Force Brigade for further investigation.

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