Owo Church Attack: Four Convicted Terrorists Sentenced To Death By Hanging

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four members of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group to death by hanging for their involvement in the deadly attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which occurred on June 5, 2022.

Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgment on Wednesday after finding the defendants guilty of terrorism-related charges filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government.

The convicted persons are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25; Al Qasim Idris, 20; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26; and Abdulhaleem Idris, 25.

However, the court discharged and acquitted a fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, 47, after ruling that the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence linking him to the attack.

In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the four convicted men were members of the terrorist group responsible for the attack.

The court found that the convicts were part of an Al-Shabaab terrorist cell operating in Kogi State and took part in the assault on the church during a Pentecost service.

More than 40 worshippers lost their lives, while over 100 others were injured when gunmen invaded the church and launched the attack.

According to the prosecution, the attackers stormed the church, held worshippers hostage and carried out the assault using AK-47 rifles and improvised explosive devices.

To establish its case, the prosecution called 11 witnesses and tendered 23 exhibits, including confessional statements and digital forensic evidence.

Among the exhibits admitted by the court was a mobile device said to contain communications exchanged by the defendants before and after the attack.

A Catholic priest who survived the incident also testified during the trial, describing how the attackers detonated multiple explosive devices inside the church, causing panic and heavy casualties among worshippers.

Justice Nwite ruled that the evidence presented by the prosecution clearly established the involvement of the four convicts in the attack, leading to their conviction and subsequent death sentences on terrorism charges.