The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four men to death by hanging for their roles in the June 5, 2022 attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church, where more than 40 worshippers were killed during a church service.
Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgment after finding the defendants guilty on a nine-count terrorism charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The convicted individuals are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25; Al Qasim Idris, 20; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26; and Abdulhaleem Idris, 25. The fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, 47, was discharged and acquitted after the court ruled that the prosecution failed to establish a case against him.
Conviction on Terrorism Charges
Justice Nwite held that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the four convicts were involved in terrorism-related offences, including membership of a proscribed terrorist group identified as Al-Shabaab, an affiliate of the Islamic State West Africa Province, conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism, kidnapping, hostage-taking, and the killing of worshippers during the Owo church attack.
The judge convicted the defendants on all nine counts and imposed the death penalty by hanging.
Evidence Presented by DSS
During the trial, prosecutors linked the defendants to the attack through witness testimonies, mobile phone tracking data, cell tower records, digital forensic evidence, and confessional statements.
The DSS called 11 witnesses and tendered 23 documents as evidence. Witnesses included survivors of the attack, church members, a Catholic priest who was presiding over the Mass when the attack occurred, operatives of the Amotekun Corps, and DSS investigators with expertise in digital forensics.
Some witnesses testified under protective measures using coded identities. One survivor reportedly testified from a wheelchair after losing both legs and an eye during the attack.
Defence Claims Torture
The defendants, who pleaded not guilty when arraigned in August 2025, challenged the admissibility of their confessional statements, alleging they were obtained under torture.
During a trial-within-a-trial, the accused claimed they were stripped, beaten, and subjected to electric shocks to force confessions. They further alleged that DSS operatives threatened them and promised financial rewards if they implicated the fifth defendant as the operational leader of the attack.
However, the court admitted the statements into evidence and ultimately rejected the defence’s arguments.
One of Nigeria’s Deadliest Terror Attacks
The attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo remains one of the deadliest terrorist incidents in Nigeria’s recent history. Gunmen stormed the church during a Sunday service, killing dozens of worshippers and injuring many others.
Although no group officially claimed responsibility at the time, security agencies had linked the attack to extremist elements associated with ISWAP.
With the judgment, the court has brought to a close a high-profile terrorism trial that spanned several months and drew national attention as authorities sought justice for the victims of the massacre.
