Four Terrorists Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Owo Catholic Church Massacre That Killed 43 Worshippers
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced four men to death by hanging for their roles in the deadly terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, which claimed dozens of lives on June 5, 2022.
PulseNets learned that Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgment on Wednesday, finding the defendants guilty on all nine terrorism-related charges brought against them by the prosecution.
The charges included conspiracy, membership of a terrorist organisation, unlawful possession of firearms and explosives, and murder.
The four convicts sentenced to death are:
- Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25
- Al Qasim Idris, 20
- Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26
- Abdulhaleem Idris, 25
The court ordered that the four men be hanged until they are pronounced dead.
PulseNets further learned that a fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, 47, was discharged and acquitted after the court found insufficient evidence linking him to the terrorist attack.
Owo Church Attack
The attack occurred on Pentecost Sunday, June 5, 2022, when heavily armed gunmen invaded St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo during worship.
PulseNets reports that 43 worshippers were killed while more than 100 others sustained injuries in the assault, which remains one of Nigeria’s deadliest attacks on a place of worship in recent years.
The attackers reportedly deployed firearms and explosive devices during the operation, with women and children among those killed and wounded.
Court documents obtained by PulseNets showed that the Department of State Services (DSS) prosecuted the suspects, alleging that they were members of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group and linked to a terrorist cell operating in Kogi State.
Trial and Conviction
During the proceedings, prosecution witnesses, including survivors of the massacre, testified before the court and identified some of the defendants as participants in the attack.
Evidence presented by the DSS, as obtained by PulseNets, sought to establish the involvement of the convicts in both the planning and execution of the church massacre.
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In their final submissions, prosecution counsel, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), urged the court to impose the maximum punishment permitted by law, describing the attack as barbaric and insisting that justice must be served for the victims and their families.
Delivering judgment, Justice Nwite held that the prosecution successfully established its case beyond reasonable doubt against the four convicted terrorists, leading to their conviction and sentencing on all counts.
