FCT Court jails five for 25 years over Papiri School abduction in Niger, arms trafficking
Federal High Court Sentences Five Men to 25 Years for Terrorism
The Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced five men to 25 years in prison each on Thursday for their roles in the November 21, 2025, attack on St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger State.
Justice Binta Nyako imposed the sentence after the defendants pleaded guilty to four terrorism-related charges. These charges included support for terrorism and unlawful possession of firearms, violations of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022 and the Firearms Act.
The convicts are identified as Yusuf Muhammad (also known as Bature), Goni Ibrahim Bindi (Goni Mutuwa), Sani Tukur (Danladi), Mubarak Ibrahim, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (Gado Banufe). They were apprehended by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) less than two weeks prior to the court’s ruling.
The individuals were accused of facilitating the movement of arms associated with terrorist activities in Niger State. During one operation, DSS operatives recovered 15 AK-47 rifles along with 1,434 rounds of ammunition concealed in sacks of dried fish within a Volkswagen Golf.
As part of the ruling, the court ordered the forfeiture of the vehicle to the federal government.
The November 21 attack involved armed men on motorcycles who stormed St. Mary’s Catholic Schools during the early morning hours, firing indiscriminately and abducting students and staff. Approximately 50 students managed to escape, while over 250 were taken into the Kainji Lake forest.
According to court documents, between April 23 and April 24, 2026, the defendants were involved in a conspiracy to transport 15 AK-103 rifles and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the Diffa region of Niger to a suspected Boko Haram operative, Malam Ahmad, in Borgu Local Government Area.
In addition to conspiracy, they were found guilty of providing support for terrorism by delivering these weapons. Some of the accused were discovered with the firearms concealed in the aforementioned vehicle along the Kano–Kaduna Expressway in Zaria.
Furthermore, the court held that Yusuf Muhammad failed to report information regarding Malam Ahmad, a known terrorist operating from Gandu Forest in Borgu LGA, between February 2025 and April 2026.
The offenses were deemed violations of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act, leading to the convictions of all defendants.
