A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four men to death by hanging for their roles in the June 5, 2022 terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, where more than 40 worshippers were killed and over 100 others injured.
Justice Emeka Nwite convicted the four defendants on a nine-count terrorism charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS), including membership of a proscribed terrorist group, conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, hostage-taking, kidnapping, and killing of worshippers in breach of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.
The convicts are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), and Abdulhaleem Idris (25), all identified as members of the Al-Shabab terrorist group, an affiliate of ISWAP. A fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47), was discharged and acquitted after the court found insufficient evidence linking him to the attack.
Delivering judgment, Justice Nwite held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The court sentenced the convicts to life imprisonment on count one, 20 years each on counts two and three without an option of fine, and death by hanging on counts four, five, six, seven, eight and nine. They are to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the execution of their sentences.
The verdict comes more than three years after the deadly attack, which shocked the nation and drew widespread condemnation from within and outside Nigeria. The Owo church massacre saw gunmen open fire and detonate explosives during Sunday mass, leaving families devastated and the nation in mourning.
Reacting to the judgment, families of victims and community members expressed relief that justice had finally been served, though they noted that no sentence could restore the lives lost. Many called on authorities to ensure that all remaining accomplices and terror cells behind the attack are tracked down and prosecuted.
Human rights advocates and legal analysts said the ruling sends a strong message to terrorist groups operating in Nigeria, but stressed the need for strengthened security, intelligence gathering, and victim support systems to prevent similar tragedies.
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