01/06/2026
DSS Arrests Two Foreign Nationals, Three Nigerians For Supplying Weapons To Gunmen Behind Niger School Kidnap
DSS Arrests Two Nigeriens, Three Others Over 2025 Papiri School Abduction, Recovers 15 AK Rifles, 1,434 Rounds of Ammunition
The Department of State Services has arrested five persons, including two Nigeriens, suspected to be arms couriers to the gunmen who attacked St. Mary's Catholic School in Papiri community, Niger State, on November 21, 2025, abducting nearly 300 students and staff.
Recovered from the suspects were 15 AK rifles, 15 magazines, and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.
According to security sources, Yusuf Mohammed, also known as Bature, a wanted member of Boko Haram, and his accomplice Mubarak Ibrahim were arrested on the Zaria-Kaduna Highway while on their way to collect arms for their commanders. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Goni Ibrahim, an international arms courier from the Diffa Region of Niger Republic, along with his accomplice Tukur Sani.
Days later, another member of the syndicate, Alhaji Adamu, also known as Gado Banufe, was arrested in Yauri, Kebbi State.
Preliminary investigations established that the five men served as arms couriers to the gunmen who carried out the November 2025 attack on the Catholic boarding school in Papiri.
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