Four years after the deadly attack on St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, a Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four members of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group to death by hanging for their roles in the incident that claimed more than 40 lives and left over 100 worshippers injured.
Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the judgement on Wednesday after finding Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25; Al Qasim Idris, 20; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26; and Abdulhaleem Idris, 25, guilty on a nine-count terrorism charge instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government.
The court, however, discharged and acquitted the fifth defendant, Momoh Abubakar, 47, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish his involvement in the attack.
In his judgement, Justice Nwite held that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the four convicts were active members of a terrorist cell operating in Kogi State and directly participated in the June 5, 2022, assault on the church during a Pentecost service.
According to evidence presented before the court, the attackers invaded the church, held worshippers hostage, and carried out a violent assault using improvised explosive devices and AK-47 rifles. Prosecutors argued that the attack was motivated by extremist religious ideology and resulted in extensive casualties and destruction.
To support its case, the prosecution called 11 witnesses and tendered 23 exhibits, including confessional statements and a digital forensic report. Among the exhibits was a Technophone device said to contain communications exchanged by the defendants before and after the attack.
A Catholic priest who survived the attack testified during the trial, recounting how the assailants detonated at least three explosive devices inside the church, causing panic and widespread bloodshed among worshippers.
Justice Nwite concluded that the evidence presented by the prosecution clearly connected the four defendants to the attack and justified their conviction on terrorism-related charges.
Reacting to the verdict, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa praised the judiciary and security agencies for securing justice for the victims.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the governor described the ruling as a “victory for justice, the rule of law, and for all victims of the heinous attack that claimed the lives of innocent worshippers and left many others injured.”
He added: “The diligence of the prosecution team, the thoroughness of investigators, and the courage of the judiciary have shown that our government will not tolerate acts of terror or violence against its people.
“This judgement sends a clear message that those who take innocent lives will face the full weight of the law, no matter how long it takes.”
Aiyedatiwa also commended the people of Owo and members of the Catholic community for remaining peaceful despite the trauma caused by the attack.
Similarly, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, welcomed the judgement but called for further investigations to identify and prosecute all those connected to the massacre.
“I think we’re happy that finally those accused, four out of five, have been convicted and sentenced to death by hanging.
“I would say to a large extent, it is justice served. " I think this would be a great relief to the people of our area, particularly, and to Nigerians generally, over what happened at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo.
“I must thank the Federal Government, particularly the DSS, for their efforts towards diligent prosecution of the accused, now the convicted, and the judiciary for living up to the expectations of our people.
“If cases like this had been properly handled in the past, and accused persons were consistently convicted in respect of kidnapping and related offences, Nigeria would, to a large extent, have significantly reduced the wave of kidnapping and insecurity across the country.”
The Catholic Bishop of Ondo Diocese, Jude Arogundade, also welcomed the court’s decision but noted that the judgement could not erase the pain suffered by victims and their families.
“It will be four years on June 5; that’s tomorrow. The attack on our wall has been a life changer for us in the Catholic diocese of Ondo, and indeed, in the whole of Ondo state.
“Because that is one of the worst incidents that we have ever had in Ondo State, where people in the church on Sunday are praying, where everybody thinks that should be the safest place.
“In fact, one of the seminarians here with me now lost both parents. The father and the mother were killed during that incident.
“Well, people will say at least justice was done, some level of justice was done, but, at the same time, it doesn’t bring back the lives of 41 people that were brutally murdered on that day.
“The law may have taken its course, but we are left to continue to nurse the wounds of those who were killed by that attack.”
The June 2022 attack remains one of the deadliest assaults on a place of worship in Nigeria’s recent history, leaving a lasting impact on the Catholic community and residents of Owo, even as the court’s verdict brings a measure of closure to the long-running case.