The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four men to death by hanging for their roles in the June 2022 terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. The attack claimed the lives of over 40 worshippers and left many others injured.
Delivering the judgment on Wednesday, trial judge Justice Emeka Nwite ruled that the prosecution had proven the terrorism charges beyond a reasonable doubt against the four convicts. However, the court discharged and acquitted the fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, aged 47.
The convicted individuals are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25; Al Qasim Idris, 20; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26; and Abdulhaleem Idris, 25. They were found guilty on all nine counts filed by the Federal Government.
The five defendants were initially arraigned on August 11, 2022, on a nine-count terrorism charge. Justice Nwite noted that evidence presented in court established that the four convicted men belonged to and actively participated in the activities of the terrorist group responsible for the church attack.
The Federal Government alleged that the suspects joined the Al-Shabaab terrorist group in 2021 and operated a cell in Kogi State. According to the prosecution, the defendants held meetings in Kogi and Ondo states in 2022, during which they planned the church attack. They were accused of detonating improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and carrying out the assault with AK-47 rifles, resulting in the deaths of more than 40 people and injuries to over 100 others.
The Department of State Services (DSS) had accused the convicts of belonging to foreign terrorist groups and being responsible for the Owo massacre. The verdict has been welcomed by many as a step toward justice for the victims and their families.
