A witness in the ongoing trial of alleged members of the Ansaru terror group on Friday confirmed the identities of the two teachers; Mr Michael Oyedokun and Deacon John Olaleye, killed while in captivity.
The witness, who was one of the 46 people kidnapped, told Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja, while being cross-examined by the defence lawyer, Bala Dakum.
The witness told the court that other victims, however, recovered the teachers’ bodies.
She testified as the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1) and was codnamed “AAA” in the trial of the five men for their involvement in the May 15 abduction of school pupils and teachers in Oriire LGA of Oyo State.
The suspects are Mahmud Muhammad (aka Abu Bara’a, Abbas Mukhtar); Abubakar Abbas (aka Isah Adam, Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri); Abdulrazak Umar (aka Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid); Yunusa Musa (aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (aka Abu Itisar).
They were alleged to be members of the Jama’‘atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) terrorist group.
NAN reports that the defendants had, on Thursday, pleaded not guilty to the seven-count terrorsim amended charge after their re-arraignment.
After the plea, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the Director of Public Prosecutions for the Federation, called their first withess to prove their case.
The witness, while being led in evidence, had narrated how members of the Ansaru terrorist group dehumanised and tortured them during their 56 days in captivity.
When the case was called on Friday, Oyedepo informed the court that the matter was scheduled for the cross-examination of the PW-1.
Under cross-examination, the witness recounted the traumatic experience.
She said she was not present when the two teachers were beheaded by their abductors.
She said Oyedokun was killed at Camp A, while Olaleye was killed at another camp.
She stated that she could not provide specific details about the individuals who carried out the killings because she did not witness the incidents.
Recounting the harsh conditions, the witness said the abductors provided food at their own convenience and did not consider the needs of the younger children in the group.
She also disclosed that the abductors used the victims’ mobile phones to communicate with government officials during the captivity, but said she did not know the phone numbers of the officials contacted.
“From your evidence before the court, you were only subjected to natural hardship. Am I correct?” the lawyer asked, but the witness disagreed with Dakum’s submission.
She admitted seeing three of the defendants before the instant case began.
She said the victims only learnt about the identities of the 1st and 2nd defendants during interrogation at the Department of State Services (DSS) office.
The witness told the court that following their rescue by security operatives, she was interrogated by operatives of the DSS, both at the agency’s office and while she was receiving treatment in hospital.
After the defence lawyer concluded his cross-examination, Justice Ibrahim discharged the PW-1 from the witness box.
The judge adjourned the matter until Oct. 12 and Oct. 13 at 9am for continuation of trial.