THE Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced five individuals connected to the November 2025 attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, to 25 years imprisonment each.
Justice Binta Nyako delivered the judgment today after the defendants, including two Nigerien nationals, pleaded guilty to four terrorism-related charges brought against them.
The charges included conspiracy and support for acts of terrorism, in violation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as well as the Firearms Act.
According to court documents, the convicts conspired to assist members of the Boko Haram terrorist group by facilitating the movement of 15 AK-103 rifles and approximately 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the Diffa region of the Republic of Niger to a terrorist operative identified as Malam Ahmad in Borgu, Niger State.
The suspects were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on May 31, 2026, during operations carried out at different locations.
During one of the arrests, security operatives recovered 15 rifles and 1,434 rounds of live ammunition concealed in sacks inside a Volkswagen Golf vehicle.
The recovered weapons and ammunition were tendered as evidence in court, while the vehicle used in the operation was ordered forfeited to the Federal Government.
The convictions are linked to the November 21, 2025 attack on St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Boarding School in Papiri, where dozens of armed men riding motorcycles stormed the institution and abducted students and teachers.
Although about 50 students escaped during the attack, more than 250 others were reportedly forced into the Kainji Lake Reserve Forest by the gunmen.
The incident sparked nationwide outrage and renewed concerns about insecurity across the country.
In response to a series of attacks and kidnappings, President Bola Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency on November 26, 2025.
The directive included increased recruitment into the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police Force, as well as the deployment of trained forest guards to support ongoing operations against terrorists and bandits.
Just over a month after the abduction, federal and Niger State authorities confirmed the successful rescue and return of the remaining captives, stating that no student remained in captivity.
