The Federal High Court in Abuja has delivered a landmark judgment, sentencing four members of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group to death by hanging for their roles in the horrific June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.
The bloody Pentecost Sunday massacre claimed over 40 innocent lives, including women and children, and left more than 100 worshippers injured as gunmen stormed the church, detonating explosives and spraying bullets during the service.
Justice Emeka Nwite convicted Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), and Abdulhaleem Idris (25) on all nine counts of terrorism charges brought by the Department of State Services (DSS). The court found them guilty as principal members of an Al-Shabaab cell operating in Kogi State who actively participated in the deadly assault.
The fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47), was discharged and acquitted due to insufficient evidence linking him to the attack.
In delivering the judgment on Wednesday, Justice Nwite held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. The court relied on evidence from 11 witnesses and 23 exhibits, including confessional statements, a digital forensic report, and a Techno phone containing communications before and after the attack.
A surviving Catholic priest who testified gave a chilling account of how the terrorists detonated at least three explosive devices inside the church, triggering panic and bloodshed among worshippers.
The convicts used improvised explosive devices and AK-47 rifles to advance their extremist ideology, turning a house of worship into a scene of unimaginable horror.
This death sentence brings a measure of closure to grieving families and survivors who have waited four years for justice. Many Nigerians have hailed the ruling as a strong message against terrorism, though appeals are expected and executions remain rare in the country.