A prosecution witness has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that two teachers killed during the May 15 terrorist attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State were murdered at separate locations.
The witness, identified as “AAA”, disclosed this on Friday while being cross-examined during the trial of five men accused of involvement in the attack.
The defendants are alleged members of the proscribed Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) terrorist group.
They are 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 and Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar.
The prosecution told the court that the defendants are from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State and Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State.
During cross-examination by their lawyer, Bala Dakum, the witness identified the two teachers killed during the attack as Michael Oyedokun and Deacon John Olaleye.
“The first person was Mr. Michael Oyedokun and the second teacher was Deacon John Olaleye,” she said.
Asked where the teachers were killed, the witness said Oyedokun was killed at the first location where the victims were held in the forest, while Olaleye was killed after they were moved to a second location.
The witness had told the court during Thursday’s proceedings that the terrorists brought out and beheaded the two teachers at different times while the victims were being held captive.
She said the killings were allegedly carried out as part of efforts to pressure the government to release members of the group who were in detention.
However, during Friday’s cross-examination, the witness clarified that she was not present when the two teachers were killed.
She also said she could not identify the specific person or persons who carried out the killings.
The witness further told the court that she saw three of the defendants during the course of the investigation by the Department of State Services (DSS).
When the defence lawyer sought to have her identify the three defendants in open court, she declined.
“My lord, please, I would not want to see them,” she told the court.
The witness also testified about the conditions under which the victims were held in the forest, saying the terrorists provided food at their convenience but did not appear to take the needs of the younger children into consideration.
She said the terrorists also used the victims’ mobile phones to communicate with government officials while the hostages were being held.
The witness, however, said she did not know the telephone numbers of the government officials contacted by the terrorists.
Following the rescue of the victims by security operatives, she said she was interrogated by DSS personnel both at the agency’s office and while she was receiving treatment in hospital.
The witness reiterated that although she knew Oyedokun and Olaleye had been killed, she was not present at the scenes and therefore could not identify those responsible for the killings.
At the end of the cross-examination, Justice Salim Ibrahim discharged the witness from further testimony.
