The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested five suspected arms couriers, including two foreign nationals from Niger Republic, over their alleged involvement in supplying weapons to gunmen responsible for the 2025 abduction of students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri community, Niger State.
The suspects were reportedly linked to the November 21, 2025 attack on the Catholic boarding school, where nearly 300 students and staff were abducted by heavily armed gunmen.
Security sources disclosed that the arrested suspects include Yusuf Mohammed, also known as Bature, who is said to be on the wanted list of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, commonly known as Boko Haram, alongside his accomplice, Mubarak Ibrahim.
The duo was reportedly intercepted on the Zaria-Kaduna Highway while travelling to collect a consignment of arms meant for their commanders.
A follow-up operation led security operatives to arrest Goni Ibrahim, identified as an international arms courier from the Diffa Region of Niger Republic, and his accomplice, Tukur Sani.
According to sources, a search conducted on an unnamed blue vehicle used by the suspects uncovered 15 AK-103 rifles, 15 magazines, and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition concealed inside the car.
Days after the initial arrests, DSS operatives also apprehended another suspected member of the arms trafficking syndicate, Alhaji Adamu, popularly known as Gado Banufe, in Yauri, Kebbi State.
He was reportedly known for supplying arms across the Kebbi axis.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the five suspects allegedly served as arms couriers to the gunmen who carried out the deadly raid on the Catholic primary and secondary boarding school.
The Papiri school attack, which occurred in the early hours of November 21, 2025, saw dozens of gunmen on motorcycles storm the school premises and round up students and teachers at gunpoint, sparking nationwide outrage and renewed concerns over insecurity in schools across Nigeria.
