The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four men to death by hanging for carrying out the deadly June 5, 2022 attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State where over 40 worshippers were killed.
These are four of the five defendants, who have been standing trial on a nine-count terrorism charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS). They are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), and Abdulhaleem Idris (25) while the fifth defendant Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47) was discharged and acquitted.
In his verdict, Justice Emeka Nwite convicted the four defendants on all nine counts of committing acts of terrorism in breach of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, citing crimes including being members of a proscribed terrorist group – Al-Shabab (an ISWAP affiliate), conspiracy to commit terrorist act, and kidnapping hostage-taking and for killing the over 40 worshippers.
Justice Nwite held that the prosecution had proved its case against the convicts beyond reasonable doubt. The judge however held that the prosecution failed to prove its case against the fifth defendant.
On count one, the court found the defendants guilty of being members of a proscribed terrorist group, Al-Shabab and handed down a life sentence to the first to fourth defendant.
On Counts two and three the four defendants got twenty year jail terms but were handed the death sentence on counts four to nine.
Whereas counts two and three of the charges against the convicts border on conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism, counts four, five, six, seven, eight and nine border on kidnapping, and hostage-taking as well as the actual act of terrorism. The said act entails opening fire on worshippers during Mass and detonating improvised explosives, killing at least 40 persons and injuring dozens more.
The attack, which occurred on June 5, 2022 (Pentecost Sunday), shocked the nation as gunmen opened fire on worshippers and detonated explosives, killing at least 41 people and injuring dozens more.
The prosecution linked the defendants to the Owo attack through witness identifications, phone tracking data, cell tower records, and confessional statements. The suspects, alleged to be members of the Al-Shabab a terrorist group affiliated to ISWAP. The group operates mainly in Okene, Kogi State. The defendants pleaded not guilty when arraigned in August 2025.
The DSS called 11 witnesses with 23 documents tendered in evidence during its case. These included attack survivors (one of whom testified from a wheelchair after losing both legs and an eye), a Catholic priest who was conducting the Mass, church members, Amotekun security operatives, and DSS investigators with digital forensic expertise.
Several witnesses testified under protection with coded identities. A total of 23 documents were tendered in evidence by the DSS during the case.
The prosecution, led by counsel Ayodeji Adedipe, had urged the court to convict the defendants and impose the maximum punishment of death by firing squad or hanging, citing the gravity of the offence.
The defence presented its case, with most of the defendants taking the witness stand to testify in their defence.
The defendants’ counsel, Abdullahi Muhammad, challenged the admissibility of the defendants’ confessional statements, which the defence claimed were obtained under duress.
They claimed they were stripped, subjected to beatings and torture including electric shocks to their stomach and genitals to force them to admit guilt to the Owo church attack. The DSS operatives allegedly said ‘they must either confess or die.’
The four defendants also alleged that they were also promised to be paid ‘handsomely’ if they indicted the fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, as their operational leader in the deadly Owo Church attack.
Their request for trial-within-trial was, however, overruled by the judge after the counsel to the prosecution, Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, challenged the defendants’ denial of being makers of their confessional statements. He stated that they put their signature and thumbprint on the document.
The judge also ruled against trial-within-trial because the defendants did not contest that stand on their claims that they made their statements under duress but harped more on their claims of not being the makers of their statement.
Justice Emeka Nwite presided over the matter, which had previously faced several delays but progressed steadily in 2025 and 2026.
The Owo church attack remains one of the most heinous acts of terrorism in recent Nigerian history. No group officially claimed responsibility at the time, though suspicions initially pointed toward Islamic State-affiliated factions.
Godfrey Eshiemoghie
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