Court Sentences Five to 25 Years for Church Kidnapping

On Thursday, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced five men to 25 years in prison for their roles in the November 21, 2025 attack on St. Joseph Catholic Church in Papiri, Niger State. The attack resulted in the abduction of 300 students and staff members, with 50 victims escaping and 250 others reportedly taken to Kainji Lake National Park forest.

Following investigations by the Department of State Services (DSS), the suspects were arrested and identified as Yusuf Muhammad, Alia Batur, Goni Ibrahim, Bindi Alia, Goni Mutuwa, Sani Tukur, Alia Danladi, Mubarak Ibrahim Musa, Alhaji Adamu, and Alia Gado. The DSS recovered 15 AK-47 rifles and 1,434 rounds of live ammunition concealed in a Volkswagen Golf vehicle, which were later presented as evidence in court.

The convicts pleaded guilty to four terrorism-related charges, including conspiracy, support for terrorism, and unlawful possession of firearms, under the Terrorism Prevention Prohibition Act of 2022 and the Firearms Act.