Abuja – The Federal Government has concluded plans to arraign five men alleged to be behind the horrific June 5, 2022 massacre at Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State — a tragedy that shocked the nation and drew global condemnation.
The suspects — Idris Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Abubakar — will be brought before Justice Obiorah Egwatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to face nine counts of terrorism-related offences filed by the Federal Government.
This long-awaited trial comes three years after the then Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, announced that security operatives had arrested those responsible for the carnage. At the time, the National Security Council linked the Owo church attack to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), citing patterns of violence consistent with the extremist group’s modus operandi.
On that fateful Sunday in June 2022, heavily armed assailants stormed the church during a packed morning mass, detonating explosives and firing indiscriminately into the congregation. The attack claimed over 40 lives and left dozens more critically injured, including children and the elderly, shattering the peace of the ancient town of Owo.
Families of the victims, survivors, and rights advocates have repeatedly called for justice, expressing frustration at the delay in prosecution. The impending arraignment is therefore seen as a critical step towards accountability and a signal that the Federal Government intends to pursue justice for one of the deadliest attacks on a place of worship in Nigeria’s history.
If found guilty, the defendants face severe penalties under Nigeria’s anti-terrorism laws, which prescribe capital punishment or life imprisonment for such crimes.
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