By Deborah Nnamdi
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four men to death by hanging for their roles in the June 5, 2022, terrorist attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which claimed the lives of more than 40 worshippers and left over 100 others injured.
The convicts, identified as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25; Al Qasim Idris, 20; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26; and Abdulhaleem Idris, 25, were among five defendants arraigned by the Department of State Services (DSS) on a nine-count charge bordering on terrorism and related offences.
Delivering judgment, Justice Nwite found the four defendants guilty on all counts, including membership of a proscribed terrorist organisation, conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism, kidnapping, hostage-taking, and the killing of worshippers during the attack. The court held that the prosecution had successfully established its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The judge stated that the convicted men were members of Al-Shabab, described in court as an affiliate of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and were directly linked to the planning and execution of the deadly assault on the church.
However, the court discharged and acquitted the fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, 47, ruling that the prosecution failed to provide sufficient evidence to connect him to the offences.
The attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church shocked the nation when gunmen stormed the church during a Sunday service, opening fire on worshippers and causing one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in recent Nigerian history. The incident triggered widespread outrage and calls for justice from religious leaders, civil society groups, and members of the public.
The trial, which commenced on August 1, 2025, saw the DSS present several witnesses and pieces of evidence to support its case. The court also admitted confessional statements made by the defendants after conducting a trial-within-trial to determine whether the statements were obtained voluntarily.
During the proceedings, one of the defendants, Omeiza, recounted how he was arrested by DSS operatives in Lokoja, Kogi State, on August 1, 2022. Testifying in Ebira through an interpreter, he told the court that he was detained alongside two others and later questioned about the Owo church attack. He also claimed that his elder brother was subsequently arrested and detained with him during the investigation.
In his final address, lead prosecution counsel, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), urged the court to impose the maximum penalty, arguing that the evidence presented clearly established the defendants’ involvement in a heinous act of terrorism. He described the attack as one of the most devastating assaults on innocent worshippers in the country’s history and commended security agencies for their efforts in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Defence counsel, Abdullahi Mohammad, had urged the court to acquit the defendants, contending that the prosecution failed to sufficiently prove the allegations against his clients.
With the judgment, the court concluded a high-profile terrorism trial that followed years of investigation into the massacre, marking a significant milestone in efforts to secure justice for the victims of the Owo church attack and their families.
