The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced five men to 25 years imprisonment each for their involvement in the November 21, 2025, attack on St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
Justice Binta Nyako handed down the sentence shortly after the defendants pleaded guilty to four terrorism-related charges bordering on support for terrorism and unlawful possession of firearms under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act.
The convicts include Yusuf Muhammad (a.k.a. Bature), Goni Ibrahim Bindi (a.k.a. Goni Mutuwa), Sani Tukur (a.k.a. Danladi), Mubarak Ibrahim, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (a.k.a. Gado Banufe), who were arrested at different locations by DSS operatives less than two weeks ago.
They were accused of involvement in the movement of arms linked to terrorist activities in Niger State.
During one of the operations, DSS operatives recovered 15 AK-47 rifles and 1,434 rounds of live ammunition hidden in sacks of dried fish inside a Volkswagen Golf car.
The court ordered the forfeiture of the vehicle to the Federal Government.
The November 21, 2025, attack was carried out by armed men on motorcycles who stormed St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in the early hours, shooting sporadically and abducting students and staff.
About 50 students escaped during the attack, while over 250 others were taken into the Kainji Lake forest.
On Count 1, the court said between April 23 and 24, 2026, the convicts conspired to transport 15 AK-103 rifles and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the Diffa region of the Republic of Niger to a suspected Boko Haram member, Malam Ahmad, in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
On Count 2, they were said to have provided support for terrorism by conveying the weapons to the suspect.
On Count 3, some of the convicts were found with the weapons concealed in sacks of dried fish inside a blue Volkswagen Golf 3 car with Niger Republic registration number BT 9990 DA along the Kano–Kaduna Expressway in Zaria.
On Count 4, the court held that Yusuf Muhammad failed to report information about a known terrorist, Malam Ahmad, operating from Gandu Forest in Borgu LGA between February 2025 and April 2026.
The court held that the offences contravened the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act, and convicted the defendants accordingly.
FCT Court jails five for 25 years over Papiri School abduction in Niger, arms trafficking
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