DSS to Re-arraign Five Suspects in Oyo Abduction Case

The Department of State Services is scheduled to re-arraign five men today, September 17, 2026, on charges of terrorism related to the abduction and killing of victims in Oyo State. The suspects, alleged members of the proscribed group Jamaatu Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladis Sudan, face a six-count amended charge filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo. The re-arraignment before Justice Salim Ibrahim at the Federal High Court in Abuja follows an adjournment from September 16. During the previous session, the first defendant, Mahmud Muhammad, objected to representation by a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council and insisted on continuing with their preferred counsel, Bala Dakum. Speaking on behalf of the other defendants, Muhammad stated that they had been represented by Dakum before and wanted him to continue. In response, the DPPF conceded that the choice of legal representation is a constitutional right that must be respected. Oyedepo told the court that the DSS is a law-abiding institution interested in justice rather than persecution.