Five Papiri Church Attack Masterminds Bag 25-Year Jail Term

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced five persons involved in the attack on St. Joseph Catholic Church, Papiri, Niger State, to 25 years imprisonment each.

The convicts were arrested on May 31, 2026, by the Department of State Services (DSS) in connection with the 21 November 2025 assault on the church, which was treated as a terrorism-related offence.

Justice Binta Nyako delivered the judgment on Thursday after the defendants pleaded guilty to four counts of terrorism-related charges brought against them.

The charges bordered on support for acts of terrorism and violations under Section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as well as provisions of the Firearms Act.

The convicts include Yusuf Mohamned (also known as Bature), Goni Ibrahim Bindi (also known as Goni Mutuwa), Sani Tukur (also known as Danladi), Mubarak Ibrahim, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (also known as Gado Banufe). Two of them are reportedly Nigerien nationals.

They were arrested at different locations by DSS operatives, with investigations linking them to the church attack in Niger State.

During one of the operations, DSS operatives reportedly recovered 15 AK-47 rifles and 1,434 rounds of live ammunition concealed in sacks inside a Volkswagen Golf car.

The weapons and ammunition were presented as exhibits in court during the trial proceedings.

The court’s ruling brings a legal conclusion to one of the recent terror-related cases connected to attacks on religious sites in parts of northern Nigeria, which have raised concerns over insecurity and armed violence.

Security agencies say the convictions are part of ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist networks and reduce the circulation of illegal arms used in attacks on civilians and worship centres.