Four Men Sentenced to Death for Owo Church Attack

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four men to death by hanging for their part in the 2022 attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. This attack left over 40 worshippers dead and about 141 others injured.

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

They were found guilty of terrorism offences. These included being part of a terrorist group called "Al-Shabaab" that operates in Kogi and Ondo states. They were also convicted for planning the attack, taking hostages, and using explosives that caused death and injury.

Judge Emeka Nwite gave the sentence after finding the four men guilty on nine terrorism-related charges. The trial lasted about nine months, starting in August last year.

Momoh Otuho Abubakar, 47, was discharged and acquitted. He is the fifth defendant and the oldest among those accused of the deadly attack on the church in June 2022.

The attack happened during a Sunday mass on June 5, 2022, where gunmen shot at worshippers and set off explosives inside and around the church. This incident caused national outcry and condemnation from many groups.

The defendants were arraigned in August last year, almost three years after the attack. The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, filed the terrorism charges. The prosecution claimed the suspects were part of an Al-Shabaab cell in Kogi State and that they executed the church attack as part of a violent religious plan. They pleaded not guilty.

The trial formally began in December 2025 with the first prosecution witness, a Catholic priest who led the Mass on the attack day. Many witnesses testified using coded identities to protect them.

Survivors, church members, Amotekun operatives, and SSS investigators also testified. Some witnesses described how the attackers burst into the church and opened fire. Others shared what happened afterward and how they tried to find the attackers.

One witness pointed out two defendants in court as attackers he saw during the shooting. Another woman, who testified in a wheelchair, shared that she lost both legs and one eye when explosives went off during the attack.

The prosecution finished its case after calling 11 witnesses. The last witness was an SSS digital forensic expert named SSK. He explained how investigators used phone tracking and other methods to locate and arrest the suspects.

There was also a trial-within-trial after the defence challenged the admissibility of the defendants’ confessional statements. They argued these statements were made under pressure. But Judge Nwite allowed the statements as evidence.

The defence later presented their case, asking the court to dismiss the prosecution's evidence. On March 4, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza testified, denying any involvement in the church attack.

He said SSS operatives arrested him at home in Kogi State on August 1, 2022. He claimed they took him to Ondo State and pressured him to confess. "They asked me to tell the truth, but I said I had nothing to tell them," he said.

Omeiza alleged that operatives chained and beat him until he fainted and forced him to sign statements he did not understand. Similarly, Abdulmalik also denied involvement during his testimony, claiming he was tortured in custody.

In his judgment, Judge Nwite stated that after reviewing the evidence, it was clear the four men were linked to the terrorist group "Al-Shabaab" operating in Kogi and Ondo states.

He mentioned that evidence from witnesses and their confessions supported the prosecution's case. The judge also highlighted that meetings were held to plan the attack on the church.

The judge said the evidence showed that worshippers were attacked during service, resulting in many deaths and injuries. He stated that the prosecution’s case against the four men was strong, while the evidence against Abubakar was insufficient.

After the judgment, prosecution lawyers praised the government for the convictions. They stated that justice was served for the victims and families affected by the attack.

Abubakar, who was acquitted, expressed relief after the judgment. He advised young people to steer clear of terrorism. Meanwhile, the defence lawyer said the convicts did not commit the crimes and would consider their next steps. The convicted men maintained their innocence after the ruling.