Five Convicted of Papiri School Kidnap Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

The Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced five men to 25 years in prison on Thursday. The men were arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) for their role in the November 21, 2025 attack on St. Joseph Catholic Church in Papiri, Niger State. Justice Binta Nyako delivered the sentences after the defendants pleaded guilty to four terrorism‑related charges presented by the prosecution.

The convicts—Yusuf Mohammed (aka Bature), Goni Ibrahim Bindi (aka Goni Mutuwa), Sani Tukur (aka Danladi), Mubarak Ibrahim, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (aka Gado Banufe)—were taken into custody at different locations by DSS operatives on May 31, 2026. The charges involved supporting acts of terrorism under Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and offenses under the Firearms Act.

The trial, which concluded shortly after the defendants entered guilty pleas, has been described as one of the fastest terrorism prosecutions in the country’s history. During the proceedings, the prosecution presented arms and ammunition recovered from the suspects. In one operation leading to their arrest, DSS operatives seized 15 AK‑47 rifles and 1,434 rounds of live ammunition hidden in sacks inside a Volkswagen Golf. Justice Nyako ordered the vehicle forfeited to the Federal Government.

The attack occurred in the early hours of November 21, 2025, when armed men on motorcycles entered the Catholic Primary and Secondary Boarding School in Papiri. The gunmen seized students and teachers at gunpoint and marched more than 250 students into the Kainji Lake Reserve Forest. About 50 children escaped amid the confusion that followed the assault.

Below are the charges against the convicts.

Count 1:
That you, Yusuf Muhammad (a.k.a. Bature), adult, male, thirty‑three (33) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA, Niger State, Goni Ibrahim Bindi (a.k.a. Goni Mutua), adult, male, twenty‑three (23) years old of Awadiri, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Sani Tukur (a.k.a. Danladi), adult, male, twenty‑five (25) years old of Sansani Displaced Persons Camp, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Mubarak Ibrahim, adult, male, twenty‑eight (28) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA of Niger State, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (a.k.a. Gado Banufe) between 23 and 24 April 2026 did commit an offence, to wit: jointly conspired to render assistance to a terrorist by agreeing and intentionally playing various roles towards conveying fifteen (15) AK 103 rifles as well as about one thousand, four hundred and thirty‑four (1,434) rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition from Diffa region, Republic of Niger to one Malam Ahmad, a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group based in Borgu LGA of Niger State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Count 2:
That you, Yusuf Muhammad (a.k.a. Bature), adult, male, thirty‑three (33) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA, Niger State, Goni Ibrahim Bindi (a.k.a. Goni Mutua), adult, male, twenty‑three (23) years old of Awadiri, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Sani Tukur (a.k.a. Danladi), adult, male, twenty‑five (25) years old of Sansani Displaced Persons Camp, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Mubarak Ibrahim, adult, male, twenty‑eight (28) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA of Niger State, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (a.k.a. Gado Banufe) between 23rd and 24th April 2026 did commit an offence, to wit: rendered support for commission of act of terrorism to a terrorist by agreeing and conveying fifteen (15) AK 103 rifles as well as about one thousand, four hundred and thirty‑four (1,434) rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition from Diffa region, Republic of Niger on behalf of one Malam Ahmad, a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group based in Borgu LGA of Niger State. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 13(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Count 3:
That you, Goni Ibrahim Bindi (a.k.a. Goni Mutuwa), adult, male, twenty‑three (23) years old of Awadiri, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Sani Tukur (a.k.a. Danladi), adult, male, twenty‑five (25) years old of Sansani Displaced Persons Camp, Diffa region, Republic of Niger and Musa Alhaji Adamu (a.k.a. Gado Banufe), sometime between 23° and 24 April 2026 at Kwangila area, along Kano‑Kaduna express, Zaria; within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence, to wit: you had in your possession fifteen (15) AK 103 rifles and about one thousand, four hundred and thirty‑four (1,434) rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition carefully concealed in sacks containing dried fish loaded in a blue Volkswagen (Golf 3) car with Republic of Niger registered plate number BT 9990 DA. You thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(a)(i), and (b)(ii) of the Firearms Act, CAP F28 LFN, 2004.

Count 4:
That you, Yusuf Muhammad (a.K.a. Bature), adult, male, thirty‑three (33) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA, Niger State, sometimes between February 2025 and April 2026 did commit an offence, to wit: you had information which you know or believed to be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of Malam Ahmad, a known terrorist hibernating in Gandu forest, Borgu LGA of Niger State, and you failed to disclose such information to law enforcement or security officers. You thereby committed an offence in contravention of Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.