Justice Emeka Nwite convicts four Al-Shabaab-linked operatives over 2022 St. Francis Catholic Church attack; fifth defendant acquitted for lack of evidence

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four members of an Al-Shabaab-linked terrorist cell to death by hanging for their roles in the June 5, 2022, massacre at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

Those convicted are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), and Abdulhaleem Idris (25). They were found guilty on a nine-count charge bordering on terrorism, filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) on behalf of the Federal Government.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Emeka Nwite held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, establishing that the convicts were active members of a terrorist network and directly involved in the deadly church attack.

In contrast, the fifth alleged terrorist, Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47), was discharged and acquitted after the court ruled that there was insufficient evidence linking him to the crime.

The court heard that the attack, carried out during a Pentecost service, left more than 40 worshippers dead and over 100 others injured, marking one of the most devastating assaults on a place of worship in Nigeria in recent years.

Prosecutors told the court that the convicts, identified as key operatives of a terrorist cell based in Kogi State, executed using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and assault rifles as part of a coordinated operation driven by extremist ideology.

To secure the conviction, the prosecution presented 11 witnesses and tendered 23 exhibits, including confessional statements, forensic evidence, and a mobile device containing communications allegedly exchanged among the defendants before and after the attack.

A Catholic priest who survived the incident testified in court, describing how multiple explosive devices were detonated during the service, triggering chaos and heavy casualties.

Justice Nwite, in his ruling, concluded that the evidence firmly established the culpability of the four defendants, leading to their sentencing and bringing closure to a high-profile trial that has gripped the nation.