Akahi News reports that the Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested five persons, including two Nigeriens, suspected to be arms couriers to the gunmen who attacked St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri Village, Niger State, on November 21, 2025. Akahi News gathered that nearly 300 students and staff were abducted in that horrific raid, which sent shockwaves across the nation.

Recovered from the arrested men were a large cache of arms, including 15 AK rifles and 1,434 rounds of live ammunition. That is not just a few weapons. That is an arsenal capable of arming a small militia. The arrests mark a significant breakthrough in the investigation into one of the worst school abductions in recent Nigerian history. But how many more couriers are still out there? That is the question haunting security officials.

The First Arrest: Boko Haram Suspect Nabbed on Zaria-Kaduna Highway

According to credible security sources, one Yusuf Mohammed, also known as Bature, who is on the list of wanted members of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (the Boko Haram terrorist organisation), and his accomplice, Mubarak Ibrahim, were arrested on the Zaria-Kaduna highway. Akahi News learnt that they were on their way to collect a consignment of arms for their commanders when the DSS swooped in on them.

The fact that a wanted Boko Haram member was still operating freely on a major highway raises serious questions. How long had Yusuf Mohammed been evading capture? How many arms shipments had he successfully delivered before this interception? The DSS deserves credit for the arrest, but the arrest also exposes gaps in surveillance and intelligence gathering. Terrorists should not be able to move with impunity along the Zaria-Kaduna highway, one of the busiest roads in northern Nigeria.

A follow-up operation, continued the sources, led to the arrest of Goni Ibrahim, an international arms courier from the Diffa Region of Niger Republic. Arrested alongside Ibrahim was one Tukur Sani, who was identified as his accomplice. Akahi News gathered that concealed in an unnamed blue car the arrested men were travelling in were 15 AK-103 rifles, 15 magazines, and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition. That is a significant seizure by any measure.

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The Kebbi Connection: Another Arrest in Yauri

Days after the arrests, yet another member of the arms courier syndicate was apprehended. Security sources identified him as Alhaji Adamu, also known as Gado Banufe, who was known to be supplying arms around the Kebbi axis. Akahi News learnt that he was arrested in Yauri, Kebbi State. This arrest suggests that the arms supply network was not limited to the North-West and North-Central but extended across state lines, possibly with connections to international borders.

The security sources disclosed that preliminary investigations established that the five men served as arms couriers to the gunmen who carried out the November 2025 attacks on the Catholic boarding school in Papiri. That is a direct link. The weapons recovered from these couriers could have been destined for future attacks. By intercepting them, the DSS may have saved countless lives.

But one cannot help but ask: where were these weapons coming from? The involvement of two Nigeriens suggests a cross-border trafficking network. The Diffa Region of Niger Republic is known to be porous and has been used by various armed groups to move weapons, fighters, and supplies. Nigeria and Niger must strengthen joint border patrols and intelligence sharing to disrupt these networks. A terrorist weapon that crosses from Niger into Nigeria is a failure of two governments, not one.

The Papiri Attack: A Dark Day in Niger State

Dozens of gunmen on motorcycles had in the wee hours of November 21, 2025, stormed the Catholic primary and secondary boarding school in Papiri. They rounded up students and teachers at gunpoint, turning a place of learning into a house of horror. Akahi News had earlier reported on the attack, which drew international condemnation and renewed calls for better security around schools.

While about 50 of the children managed to escape in the chaos that greeted the attack, over 250 others were marched for days into the Kainji Lake Reserve forest. Imagine the terror. Children as young as five or six, walking for days under the hot sun, threatened by armed men, separated from their families. The psychological scars of that experience will last a lifetime. Some of those children may never fully recover.

After slightly over a month in captivity, on December 21, 2025, the federal government and Niger State officials confirmed the rescue and safe return of the remaining 130 captives. Government officials confirmed that not a single pupil remained in captivity. That was a moment of relief. But relief is not justice. The children came home, but their abductors remained free – until now. The arrest of these arms couriers is a step toward accountability.

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The Arsenal Recovered: 15 AK Rifles, 1,434 Rounds

The sheer quantity of weapons recovered is alarming. Fifteen AK-103 rifles, 15 magazines, and 1,434 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition. That is enough to equip a platoon. Akahi News gathered that these weapons were likely destined for terrorist camps in the North-West or North-Central, where bandits and insurgents have been waging war against communities and security forces. Every AK rifle intercepted is a potential life saved. But for every one intercepted, how many get through?

The AK-103 is a modern variant of the classic AK-47, capable of selective fire and known for its reliability. It is a weapon of war, not of hunting or self-defence. The presence of such weapons in the hands of non-state actors is a direct threat to Nigeria’s national security. The federal government must intensify efforts to trace the origin of these weapons. Which country manufactured them? Which arms dealer sold them? How did they cross into Nigeria? These questions demand answers.

The two Nigeriens arrested will likely face prosecution in Nigeria. But their arrest also presents an opportunity for diplomatic engagement. Nigerien authorities should be brought into the investigation. If there are arms trafficking networks operating from Niger’s Diffa Region, both countries need to dismantle them jointly. Terrorism and banditry do not respect borders. Neither should counter-terrorism efforts.

What This Means for School Security

The Papiri attack was a wake-up call. For years, parents in the North-West and North-Central had lived in fear of bandits and terrorists. But schools had often been spared – until they weren’t. The attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School showed that no institution is safe. Akahi News believes that the federal government must implement the Safe Schools Declaration and provide adequate security around educational institutions.

The arrest of these arms couriers does not bring back the lost months of education for the Papiri children. It does not erase their trauma. But it does send a message: the long arm of the law is still reaching. The DSS has shown that it can track, arrest, and disrupt terrorist networks. That capacity must be expanded and sustained.

One cannot help but ask: what about the commanders who ordered the attack? The couriers are important, but they are not the masterminds. The DSS must continue its investigations up the chain of command. The men who planned the Papiri attack, who gave the orders, and who have likely been involved in other atrocities must be brought to justice. Arresting couriers is good. Arresting commanders is better.

A Final Word: Justice for Papiri

The Papiri community has suffered immensely. Nearly 300 students and staff were abducted. Families were torn apart. A Catholic school – a place of faith and learning – was violated. Akahi News salutes the DSS for these arrests and the recovery of these weapons. But we also remind the government that justice is not complete until the attackers themselves are in custody.

The children of Papiri are back home. That is a victory. But the trauma remains. And the threat remains. As long as arms can flow freely across borders and into the hands of terrorists, no school in Nigeria is truly safe. The arrests of Yusuf Mohammed, Mubarak Ibrahim, Goni Ibrahim, Tukur Sani, and Alhaji Adamu are commendable. But the war against terror is far from over.

Akahi News will continue to follow this case as it develops. For now, let us celebrate the work of the DSS. But let us also demand more: more arrests, more prosecutions, and more protection for the most vulnerable – our children.