Court sentences five to 25 Years over Niger school abduction

A federal high court sitting in Abuja has sentenced five men to 25 years imprisonment each for their roles in the 2025 attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger state, in which hundreds of pupils were abducted.

Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako delivered the judgment on Thursday after the defendants, who were arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) in May 2026, pleaded guilty to four terrorism-related charges filed against them.

The convicts were found guilty of supporting acts of terrorism and violating provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as well as the Firearms Act.

According to the charge sheet, the defendants conspired to assist a terrorist network by transporting 15 AK-103 rifles and about 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the Diffa region of the Republic of Niger into Nigeria.

The arms were allegedly destined for a Boko Haram-linked operative identified as Malam Ahmad in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

During the DSS operation that led to their arrest, security operatives reportedly recovered 15 AK-47 rifles and the ammunition concealed in sacks inside a Volkswagen Golf car.

The court subsequently ordered the forfeiture of the vehicle to the Federal Government.

The prosecution told the court that the weapons were intended to support the attack carried out on November 21, 2025, when armed men stormed St. Mary’s Catholic School, abducting over 300 pupils and staff.

While about 50 students escaped, more than 250 were reportedly marched into the Kainji Lake forest and held for days.

The incident sparked nationwide outrage and renewed concerns over rising insecurity and school kidnappings in northern Nigeria.

Delivering judgment, the court held that the guilty plea and evidence presented left no room for doubt, sentencing each of the five defendants to 25 years imprisonment.