DSS Arrests Suspects Linked To Niger School Attack, Recovers 15 AK Rifles, 1,434 Ammunition

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested five persons, including two Nigeriens, suspected of being arms couriers to the gunmen who attacked St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri village, Niger State, in November 2025.

The attack, which occurred on November 21, 2025, led to the abduction of nearly 300 students and staff of the Catholic boarding school.

According to Channels Television, security sources revealed that the suspects were arrested in separate operations conducted by the DSS, during which a large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered.

Items recovered from the suspects included 15 AK rifles, 15 magazines and 1,434 rounds of live ammunition.

According to credible security sources, one of the suspects, Yusuf Mohammed, also known as Bature, was on the wanted list of members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, also known as Boko Haram.

Mohammed was arrested alongside an accomplice, Mubarak Ibrahim, on the Zaria-Kaduna highway.

The sources said the two men were on their way to collect a consignment of arms allegedly meant for their commanders when they were intercepted by operatives.

Naija News understands that a follow-up operation by the DSS reportedly led to the arrest of Goni Ibrahim, described by security sources as an international arms courier from the Diffa Region of the Niger Republic.

He was arrested alongside another suspect, Tukur Sani, who was identified as his accomplice.

The sources disclosed that the suspects were arrested in an unnamed blue car, where the arms were allegedly concealed.

Recovered from the vehicle were 15 AK-103 rifles, 15 magazines and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.

Days after the arrests, DSS operatives also arrested another suspected member of the arms courier syndicate, identified as Alhaji Adamu, also known as Gado Banufe.

Adamu was said to have been supplying arms around the Kebbi axis before he was arrested in Yauri, Kebbi State.

Security sources said preliminary investigations linked the five suspects to the supply of arms to the gunmen who carried out the November 2025 attack on St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri.

Gunmen had stormed the Catholic primary and secondary boarding school in the early hours of November 21, 2025.

The attackers reportedly arrived on motorcycles and abducted students and staff from the school.

During the incident, about 50 of the children managed to escape, while more than 250 others were taken away into the Kainji Lake Reserve forest.

The attack sparked national concern and renewed calls for stronger security around schools, especially in vulnerable communities.

A little over one month after the attack, the Federal Government and Niger State officials confirmed the rescue and safe return of the remaining 130 captives on December 21, 2025.

Officials said at the time that no pupil remained in captivity.