The Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria, delivered a landmark judgment on Wednesday, sentencing four men to death by hanging for their involvement in the brutal 2022 attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. The assault, which occurred during a Pentecost Sunday Mass, left over 40 worshippers dead and approximately 141 others injured.
The convicted individuals are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25; Al Qasim Idris, 20; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26; and Abdulhaleem Idris, 25. They were found guilty on nine terrorism-related charges, including membership in a proscribed terrorist organization known as "Al-Shabaab," which operated in parts of Kogi and Ondo states under the coordination of an individual identified as "Adoba." The charges also included planning the attack, hostage-taking, and using explosives against the congregation, resulting in deaths, grievous harm, and property destruction.
Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the case, delivered the sentence after approximately nine months of trial, which began in August of the previous year. In his ruling, he stated that the prosecution had successfully proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. "The prosecution has established the nine-count charge against the first, second, third, and fourth defendants beyond reasonable doubt," Justice Nwite declared.
In addition to the death sentence, the judge imposed life imprisonment on the four convicts for one of the charges and 20 years' imprisonment without the option of a fine on counts two and three. The death sentences were handed down on counts four, five, six, eight, and nine. The judge ordered that the convicts be "hanged by the neck until death," adding, "May the Lord have mercy on your souls."
However, the court discharged and acquitted the fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, 47, who was the oldest among those prosecuted. Justice Nwite ruled that the prosecution failed to link Abubakar to the conspiracy, meetings, or financing of the attack beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Attack and Trial
The attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church took place on June 5, 2022, during a Pentecost Sunday Mass. Armed gunmen stormed the church, opening fire and detonating explosives, killing at least 41 worshippers and injuring over 140 others. The incident sparked national outrage and widespread condemnation from both local and international bodies.
The defendants were arraigned in August of the previous year, about three years after the attack, on terrorism charges filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi. Prosecutors alleged that the suspects were part of an Al-Shabaab cell operating in Kogi State and that they planned and executed the attack as part of a violent religious agenda. All defendants pleaded not guilty.
The trial formally opened in December 2025, with the prosecution calling its first witness, a Catholic priest who conducted the Mass on the day of the attack. Many witnesses testified under a court-approved witness protection arrangement, using coded identities. Survivors, church members, Amotekun operatives, and State Security Service (SSS) investigators provided testimony. Some witnesses described how the attackers stormed the church and fired on worshippers attempting to flee, while others recounted the aftermath and the efforts to track down the suspects.
One prosecution witness identified two of the defendants in court as part of the attackers seen inside the church during the assault. Another witness, who testified from a wheelchair, told the court she lost both legs and one eye when explosives detonated during the attack. The prosecution closed its case after calling 11 witnesses. The final witness, an SSS digital forensic expert, testified that investigators used phone tracking, geospatial analysis, and cell tower triangulation to trace and arrest the suspects.
During the trial, a trial-within-trial was conducted after the defense challenged the admissibility of the defendants' confessional statements, arguing they were obtained under duress. Justice Nwite overruled the objections and admitted the statements as evidence.
Defense and Conviction
The defense opened its case in March, urging the court to reject the prosecution's evidence and acquit the defendants. The first defendant, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, an auxiliary nurse, denied involvement, alleging that SSS operatives arrested him at his home in Kogi State on August 1, 2022, and forced him to sign statements after torture. Another defendant, Jamiu Abdulmalik, also denied involvement, claiming he was tortured and forced to sign statements.
In his judgment, Justice Nwite held that the evidence presented by the prosecution, including the defendants' confessional statements and forensic digital evidence, was consistent and unshaken. He noted that the prosecution proved that meetings to plan the attack were held on May 30, June 1, and June 4, 2022, at Government Secondary School, Ogaminana, Kogi State, and at a local mosque. The judge also cited call records showing direct communication among the defendants in the months leading up to the attack.
The court convicted the four men of conspiracy, aiding and abetting terrorism, hostage-taking, possession of dangerous weapons, terrorism financing, and use of explosives resulting in death, grievous harm, and destruction. The judge emphasized that the prosecution's eyewitnesses and investigators gave consistent evidence that remained unshaken under cross-examination.
Reactions
Following the judgment, prosecution lawyer Ayodeji Adedipe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, praised the federal government for securing the convictions, stating that justice had been served for the victims, the injured, and the families who lost loved ones. He added that the team would review the case of the fifth defendant.
The acquitted defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, expressed relief and advised young people to avoid engaging in terrorism. Meanwhile, defense lawyer Abdullahi Mohammed told journalists that the convicts did not commit the offenses and that the defense would study the judgment before taking further legal steps. The convicted defendants maintained their innocence after the judgment, stating that they were wrongly convicted.
The 2022 Owo church attack remains one of the deadliest acts of violence against a place of worship in Nigeria's recent history, highlighting the ongoing threat of violent extremism in the country.
