Five men linked to the November 2025 attack on St. Joseph Catholic Church in Papiri, Niger State, have been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment each by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice Binta Nyako handed down the sentence on Thursday after the defendants pleaded guilty to four terrorism-related charges filed against them by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The convicts — Yusuf Muhammad (also known as Bature), Goni Ibrahim Bindi (Goni Mutuwa), Sani Tukur (Danladi), Mubarak Ibrahim, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (Gado Banufe) — were arrested on May 31, 2026, in separate DSS operations.
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The court found them guilty of offences including conspiracy to support terrorism, providing material assistance to terrorists, unlawful possession of firearms, and withholding information about a known terrorist.
During the trial, prosecutors revealed that the group facilitated the movement of 15 AK-103 rifles and 1,434 rounds of live ammunition from the Diffa Region of the Republic of Niger to a suspected Boko Haram operative identified as Malam Ahmad, who was reportedly based in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
Evidence presented before the court included the weapons and ammunition recovered from a Volkswagen Golf vehicle, where they had been concealed in sacks containing dried fish. Justice Nyako subsequently ordered the forfeiture of the vehicle to the Federal Government.
Investigators linked the suspects to the attack on St. Joseph Catholic Church and its adjoining Catholic Primary and Secondary Boarding School in Papiri, where dozens of gunmen on motorcycles invaded the premises on November 21, 2025.
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The attackers reportedly abducted more than 250 students and staff members, although about 50 students escaped during the chaos that followed the assault.
The court’s ruling marks one of the swiftest terrorism prosecutions in recent Nigerian history and underscores ongoing efforts by security agencies to dismantle terror networks operating across the country.
Authorities said the conviction sends a strong message that individuals involved in financing, supplying, or supporting terrorist activities will face the full weight of the law.
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