The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested five persons allegedly linked to the abduction of hundreds of pupils and staff from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State.
Security sources disclosed that the suspects were picked up during a series of intelligence-led operations carried out in different locations following months of investigations into the attack.
Among those arrested are individuals believed to have supplied weapons and logistics to the kidnappers. Two foreign nationals were also taken into custody for allegedly providing support to the criminal network behind the mass abduction.
The DSS reportedly recovered a large cache of weapons and ammunition during the operation. Items seized include 15 AK-103 rifles and more than 1,400 rounds of ammunition believed to have been used by armed groups operating in the region.
One of the suspects has been identified as Yusufu Muhammad, who security operatives described as a member of the Boko Haram terrorist group. Investigators are said to be probing possible links between the suspects, cross-border arms traffickers and criminal gangs responsible for kidnappings and attacks across parts of northern Nigeria.
The arrests are connected to the November 21, 2025 attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, where gunmen stormed the institution and abducted 303 pupils alongside 12 members of staff.
The incident sparked nationwide outrage and renewed concerns over the security situation in schools across the country. Images showing frightened children gathered in the bush while in captivity circulated widely on social media and drew condemnation from many Nigerians.
Although about 50 of the victims managed to escape shortly after the attack, the remaining captives were held for several weeks before regaining their freedom through coordinated intelligence and security operations by government agencies.
Security officials believe the latest arrests could help expose a wider network of arms suppliers and collaborators aiding kidnapping syndicates and bandit groups operating within and outside Nigeria’s borders.
The DSS has not yet released an official statement on the development, but security sources say investigations are ongoing and more arrests may follow as authorities intensify efforts to dismantle the criminal network behind the attack.
