The Federal High Court in Abuja pushed the arraignment of five men accused in the May 15 Oriire Local Government kidnaps to September 17, after the defendants objected to the state-provided counsel and demanded their own lawyer.
The Department of State Services filed an amended six-count charge under file number FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026 on behalf of the federal government. The five accused are identified as members of Jama'atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, and named as 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 or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.
The scheduled arraignment on Wednesday, September 16 did not proceed after the defendants insisted they be defended by lawyers of their choosing. At the aborted hearing, Akilaluyel Shettima, a deputy director with the Legal Aid Council, told the court he would appear for them, but the first accused, Mahmud Muhammad, rejected that representation and asked that Bala Dakum continue as their counsel, saying Dakum had previously represented the group.
Rotimi Oyedepo, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation and counsel for the DSS, acknowledged the constitutional right to choice of counsel and said the service seeks justice rather than persecution. Justice Salim Ibrahim accepted the submission and set a fresh date for arraignment.
The judge ordered the accused to notify their preferred lawyer to be present in court on September 17 and directed the DSS to permit access between the defendants and their chosen counsel to allow preparation for their defence as required by law. The case will return to court on the new date for re-arraignment under the amended charge.
