A witness in the ongoing trial of alleged members of the Ansaru terror group on Friday confirmed the identities of the two teachers,  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, Abuja Division, while being cross-examined by the defence counsel,  Bala Dakum.

The witness told the court that other victims recovered the teachers’ bodies.

She testified as the first prosecution witness (PW-1) and was codenamed “AAA” in the trial of the five men for their involvement in the May 15 abduction of school pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area 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.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the seven-count terrorism charge on Thursday after their re-arraignment.

After the plea, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the director of public prosecutions for the federation, called their first witness 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, Mr Oyedepo informed the court that the matter was scheduled for PW-1’s cross-examination.

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 Mr Oyedokun was killed at Camp A, while Mr Olaleye was killed at another camp.

“I can not provide specific details about the individuals who carried out the killings because she did not witness the incidents,” she told the court.

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 Mr 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 State Security Service (SSS) office.

The witness told the court that following their rescue by security operatives, she was interrogated by operatives of the SSS, 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 October 12 and October 13 for continuation of trial.

(NAN)