DSS Arrests Man for Threatening to Kill Students and Teachers in Abuja Schools
A Federal High Court in Abuja heard on Friday, April 17, 2026, how operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) meticulously tracked and apprehended a man who sent multiple threatening messages to several elite schools in Abuja, vowing to kill students and teachers. The case, which has sent shockwaves through the educational community, underscores the serious nature of security threats in Nigeria's capital.
Court Testimony Reveals Details of the Investigation
DSS operative Michael Jego testified as the first prosecution witness, detailing how his agency received petitions in 2024 from three prominent Abuja schools: Premier International School, The Regent Secondary School, and Oakland International British School. These petitions included text messages from specific telephone numbers that threatened to attack the schools, kill both students and teachers, and destroy property, with the chilling assertion that it would not take up to a minute to achieve this.
Jego explained that his team was instructed to investigate a petition from Oakland International School dated November 28, 2024. Through forensic methods, they traced and apprehended the defendant, identified as John Jude Agbo, in Otukpo, Benue State. During the arrest, a Techno android phone and a SIM card were recovered from Agbo, which were allegedly used to send the threat messages.
Legal Proceedings and Charges
Agbo was arraigned on March 17, 2026, on a two-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/06/2026. He is being prosecuted by the DSS under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) (Amendment) Act, 2024. The DSS case summary states that Agbo used GSM numbers 08124412783, 08069781274, 08105715028, and 09139681108 to send SMS threats to the schools, constituting offences contrary to Section 24(1) of the Terrorism Act and Section 18(1) of the Cybercrimes Act.
During the court session, led by prosecution lawyer Dr. Calistus Eze, Jego presented evidence including the recovered mobile phone, petitions from the schools, a compact disc with audio-visual recordings of Agbo's interview and statement-making sessions, and a copy of his extra-judicial statement. All items were admitted into evidence without objection from defence lawyer Hamza Dantani.
Defendant's Response and Cross-Examination
While Agbo confirmed familiarity with the Techno android phone, he denied ownership. Under cross-examination by Dantani, Jego clarified that the petitions did not initially reflect Agbo's name but provided the phone numbers and text messages used in the threats. Jego stated that he could not confirm if the phone numbers belonged to Agbo, but noted that Agbo admitted to being part of the group that composed the messages and was arrested in possession of the phone.
At the conclusion of the cross-examination, Eze requested an adjournment to bring more witnesses and exhibits, which Dantani did not oppose. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the case to May 12, 2026, for continuation of the trial, highlighting the ongoing nature of this high-profile security case.
