By Ayomide Otitoju
The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced five suspects to 25 years imprisonment each for their involvement in the November 21, 2025 attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Niger State.
Justice Binta Nyako handed down the sentence on Thursday after the defendants, including two Nigerien nationals, pleaded guilty to four counts bordering on terrorism-related offences.
The suspects were arrested on May 31, 2026, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations of providing logistical and material support for terrorist activities linked to the attack.
The charges included conspiracy to support terrorism and violations of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as well as the Firearms Act.
Prosecutors told the court that the convicts were involved in facilitating the movement of 15 AK-103 rifles and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the Diffa region of the Republic of Niger to a Boko Haram-linked operative identified as Malam Ahmad in Borgu, Niger State.
In one of the arrests, DSS operatives reportedly intercepted a Volkswagen Golf vehicle allegedly used in transporting weapons concealed in sacks.
The November 2025 attack saw armed men storm the Catholic school in the early hours, abducting more than 250 pupils and staff. While about 50 students escaped during the attack, the remaining victims were reportedly marched into the Kainji Lake Reserve Forest.
The incident triggered nationwide outrage and prompted the Federal Government to declare a state of security emergency on November 26, 2025, ordering increased recruitment into the armed forces and police, as well as intensified forest operations to flush out criminal groups.
Authorities later confirmed the rescue of all remaining captives after weeks of coordinated security operations, stating that no pupil was left in captivity.
