Court Sentences Four Terrorists to Death Over Owo Church Attack

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday sentenced four members of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group to death by hanging over their involvement in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church.

The attack in Owo left more than 40 worshippers dead and over 100 others injured.

The trial judge, Emeka Nwite, convicted Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25; Al Qasim Idris, 20; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26; and Abdulhaleem Idris, 25, on a nine-count terrorism charge filed by the Department of State Services on behalf of the Federal Government.

The court, however, discharged and acquitted the fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, after ruling that there was insufficient evidence linking him to the attack.

In his judgment, Justice Nwite held that the prosecution had successfully proven the guilt of the four convicts beyond reasonable doubt.

According to the judge, evidence presented before the court clearly established that the convicts were members of, and active participants in, the activities of the terrorist group responsible for the deadly church attack.

The June 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church shocked Nigeria and drew widespread condemnation both locally and internationally after gunmen opened fire on worshippers during a church service.