The conviction follows the arrest of five suspects linked to the November 2025 attack on a Catholic school and church facility in Papiri, Niger State.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced five persons linked to the November 21, 2025 attack on St. Joseph Catholic Church School in Papiri, Niger State, to 25 years imprisonment each.
The convicts were arrested on May 31, 2026 by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) over their alleged involvement in the attack, which led to the abduction of students and staff members from the Catholic institution.
Court proceedings centred on their roles as accomplices in the operation carried out in Papiri, a development that had intensified national concern over attacks targeting schools and religious institutions in parts of northern Nigeria.
The sentencing marks one of the major judicial outcomes connected to the Papiri incident since the attack occurred late last year. The case had remained under security investigation following multiple arrests tied to the operation.
The DSS had earlier confirmed the arrest of the suspects, including two foreign nationals allegedly linked to arms movements connected to the attackers.
The court’s ruling now formally closes the prosecution phase against the five convicted individuals, with each ordered to serve a 25-year prison term.