Justice for Papiri Victims: Five Convicted Over Terror Support, Weapons Smuggling

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced five men to 25 years imprisonment each for their involvement in supporting terrorists connected to the November 21, 2025 attack on a Catholic boarding school in Papiri, Niger State.

The convicts were arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) on May 31, 2026, and later arraigned on terrorism-related charges, including conspiracy, providing support for acts of terrorism, unlawful possession of firearms, and failure to disclose information concerning a known terrorist.
Delivering judgment, Justice Binta Nyako sentenced each of the defendants to 25 years imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to all four counts filed against them under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act.
The convicted persons are:
Yusuf Muhammad (aka Bature)
Goni Ibrahim Bindi (aka Goni Mutuwa)
Sani Tukur (aka Danladi)
Mubarak Ibrahim
Musa Alhaji Adamu (aka Gado Banufe)
Two of the convicts are citizens of the Republic of Niger.
According to the prosecution, the suspects conspired to transport 15 AK-103 rifles and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition from the Diffa Region of Niger Republic to one Malam Ahmad, identified as a Boko Haram member operating in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
Security operatives intercepted the weapons during an operation and recovered them concealed inside sacks of dried fish loaded in a blue Volkswagen Golf vehicle bearing Niger Republic registration number BT 9990 DA.
The rifles, ammunition, and vehicle were admitted as exhibits during the trial. The court subsequently ordered the forfeiture of the vehicle to the Federal Government.
Investigations further revealed that Yusuf Muhammad deliberately withheld information regarding the whereabouts and activities of Malam Ahmad, a suspected terrorist believed to be hiding in the Gandu Forest area of Borgu LGA.
The convictions followed investigations into the November 2025 attack on St. Joseph Catholic Primary and Secondary Boarding School in Papiri, where dozens of armed men riding motorcycles invaded the school and abducted hundreds of students and teachers.
Although about 50 students reportedly escaped during the attack, more than 250 others were forced into the Kainji Lake forest area by the attackers.
Security officials described the convictions as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to dismantle logistical networks that support terrorist activities in north-central Nigeria.