Blessing Bello, Reporting
A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four men to death by hanging for the brutal attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which claimed the lives of more than 40 worshippers and left over 100 injured.
Justice Emeka Nwite convicted Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25; Al Qasim Idris, 20; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26; and Abdulhaleem Idris, 25, on all nine counts of terrorism brought against them by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The charges included membership of a proscribed terrorist group – Al-Shabab, an affiliate of ISWAP – conspiracy to commit a terrorist act, kidnapping, hostage-taking, and the killing of over 40 worshippers during the June 2022 attack.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the prosecution had proved its case against the four convicts beyond reasonable doubt under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.
However, the fifth defendant, 47-year-old Momoh Otuho Abubakar, was discharged and acquitted after the court found that the prosecution had failed to establish its case against him.
Trial Details
The trial, which began on 1 August 2025, saw the DSS call multiple witnesses to testify against the accused. The court admitted confessional statements from the defendants following a trial-within-trial to confirm they had been given voluntarily.
One of the convicts, Omeiza, had testified in Ebira, requiring the court to appoint an interpreter. He claimed to be an auxiliary nurse and detailed his arrest on 1 August 2022, alongside two young boys named Hauwa and Yusuf.
Prosecution counsel Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN) urged the court to impose the maximum sentence, arguing that the prosecution had painstakingly established its case through compelling evidence and detailed investigations.
Defence counsel Abdullahi Mohammad had prayed for his clients’ discharge and acquittal, contending that the prosecution had not proved its case.
The attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church, which occurred on 5 June 2022, sparked widespread outrage and condemnation across Nigeria, with widespread calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
