The Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced five men to 25 years in prison each for their role in supporting the November 21, 2025 attack on St. Joseph Catholic Church and its attached boarding school in Papiri, Niger State. Justice Binta Nyako delivered the judgment after the accused pleaded guilty to four terrorism-related charges. The convicts are Yusuf Mohammed (aka Bature), Goni Ibrahim Bindi (aka Goni Mutuwa), Sani Tukur (aka Danladi), Mubarak Ibrahim, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (aka Gado Banufe). They were arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) on May 31, 2026, at various locations.
The charges included conspiracy to support terrorism and illegal possession of firearms under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act. The prosecution presented evidence that the suspects transported 15 AK-47 rifles and 1,434 rounds of live ammunition from the Diffa region in the Republic of Niger to Malam Ahmad, a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group operating in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. The arms were discovered in a Volkswagen Golf hidden in sacks during a DSS operation. Justice Nyako ordered the vehicle be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The attack occurred in the early hours of November 21, 2025, when armed men on motorcycles stormed the Catholic Primary and Secondary Boarding School in Papiri. Over 250 students were marched into the Kainji Lake Reserve Forest. Around 50 children escaped during the chaos. The trial concluded quickly after the defendants entered guilty pleas, marking one of the fastest terrorism-related prosecutions in Nigeria.
Five men helped arm a terrorist behind the mass abduction of over 250 schoolchildren, yet the court's focus was solely on their weapons transfer, not the kidnapping itself. The judge did not state whether Malam Ahmad, the intended recipient of the weapons, carried out the school attack. This leaves unclear if the mastermind of the Papiri abduction has been apprehended or remains at large. The 25-year sentences apply only to logistics, not the act of child abduction.
⚖️ NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion. All persons mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Full disclaimer →
