The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday sentenced to 25 years imprisonment each of the five suspects apprehended on May 31, 2026 by the Department of State Services (DSS) for their role in the 21 November 2025 attack on St. Joseph Catholic Church, Papiri, Niger State.
Justice Binta Nyako said the sentence came immediately after the five men, two of whom are Nigeriens, pleaded guilty to all the four terrorist-related charges against them in what possibly be the shortest terrorism trial in Nigerian history.
The allegations were akin to abetting the commission of an act of terrorism, contravening both Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Firearms Act, The Guardian writes.
The five guys – Yusuf Mohamned (Aka Bature), Goni Ibrahim Bindi (Aka Goni Mutuwa), Sani Tukur (Aka Danladi), Mubarak Ibrahin and Musa Alhaji Adamu (Aka Gado Banufe) – were captured at various places by DSS operatives less than two weeks ago.
“In one of the arrests, DSS operatives uncovered 15 AK-47 rifles and 1,434 rounds of live ammunition hidden in sacks in a Volkswagen Golf car. The recovered arms and ammunition were brought to court. The court ordered confiscation of the Golf automobile to the Nigerian Government.
In the early hours of November 21, 2025, dozens of gunmen on motorbikes had assaulted the Catholic Primary and Secondary Boarding School, gathering up kids and instructors at gunpoint.
In the commotion that followed the attack, some 50 of the youngsters managed to escape, but the gunmen marched more than 250 of the pupils for days into the Kainji Lake Reserve Forest.
COUNT 1 of the charge reads:
You, Yusuf Muhammad (a.k.a. Bature), adult, male, thirty-three (33) years of age of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA, Niger State, Goni Ibrahim Bindi (a.k.a.
Goni Mutua), adult, male, twenty-three (23) years old of Awadiri, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Sani Tukur (a.k.a. Danladi), adult, male, twenty five 25) years old of Sansani Displaced Persons Camp, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Mubarak Ibrahim, adult, male twenty eight (28) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA of Niger State, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (a.k.a Gado Banufe) between 23d and 24th April, 2026 did commit an offence, to wit: jointly conspired to render assistance to a terrorist by agreeing and intentionally playing various roles towards conveying fifteen (15) AK 103 rifles as well as about one thousand, four hundred and thirty-four (1,434) rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition from Diffa region, Republic of Niger to one Malam Ahmad, a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group based in Borgu LGA of Niger State. You have therefore committed an act contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
COUNT 2.
You, Yusuf Muhammad (a.k.a. Bature) adult, male, thirty-three (33) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA, Niger State, Goni Ibrahim Bindi (a.k.a.
Goni Mutua, adult, male, twenty-three (23) years old of Awadiri, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Sani Tukur (a.k.a. Danladi), adult, male, twenty five 25) years old of Sansani Displaced Persons Camp, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Mubarak Ibrahim, adult, male twenty eight (28) years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA of Niger State, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (a.k.a Gado Banufe) between 23rd and 24th April, 2026 did commit an offence, to wit: rendered support for commission of act of terrorism to a terrorist by agreeing and conveying fifteen (15) AK 103 rifles as well as about one thousand, four hundred and thirty-four (1,434) rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition from Diffa region, Republic of Niger on behalf of one Malam Ahmad, a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group based in Borgu LGA of Niger State. As such, you committed an offence contrary to Section 13(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
COUNT 3:
That you, Goni Ibrahim Bindi (a.k.a. Goni Mutuwa), adult, male, twenty-three (23) years old of Awadiri, Diffa region, Republic of Niger, Sani Tukur (a.k.a. Danladi), adult, male, twenty five (25 years old of Sansani Displaced Persons Camp, Diffa region, Republic of Niger and Musa Alhaji Adamu (a.k.a Gado Banufe), sometime between 23° and 24t April, 2026 at Kwangila area, along Kano-Kaduna express, Zaria; within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an offence, to wit: you had in your possession fifteen (15) AK 103 rifles and about one thousand, four hundred and thirty-four (1,434) rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition carefully concealed in sacks containing dried fish loaded in a blue Volkswagen (golf 3) car with Republic of Niger registered plate number BT 9990 DA. You have committed an act to commit an offence according to Section 27(1) (a) (i), and (b) (ii) of the Firearms Act CAP F28 LFN,
COUNT 4 2004.
That you, Yusuf Muhammad (a.K.a, Bature) adult, Male, Thirty-three (33) Years old of Gofanti village, Borgu LGA, Niger State sometimes between February 2025 and April, 2026 did commit an offence to wit: you had information which you know or believed to be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of Malam Ahmad, a known terrorist hibernating in Gandu forest, Borgu LGA of Niger State and you failed to disclose such information to law enforcement or security officers.
You consequently committed an offence contrary to section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
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