Court sentences 4 terror convicts to death by hanging over Owo church attack

Four men have been hanged to death by the Federal High Court in Abuja following the conviction for their participation in the brutal attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State on June 5, 2022.

The convicted people who include Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, and Abdulhaleem Idris have been tried on various charges of terrorism at the court by the Department of State Services (DSS).

In his ruling at the hearing held on Wednesday, Judge Emeka Nwite stated that there was sufficient evidence to convict the accused men since it was proved beyond any reasonable doubt that they were members of the terrorist gang.

The tragic incident, which happened when the victims were celebrating Pentecost, claimed the lives of over 40 worshippers while many others sustained injuries.

According to court papers, the attackers reportedly acted within the context of an Al-Shabaab-affiliated group operating in Kogi State and employed both IEDs and AK-47 firearms during the raid on the church.

Twelve witnesses, together with 23 pieces of evidence were presented by the prosecution side in court, among which included confessional statements from the defendants and digital reports showing the communications between them prior to and after the attack.

In particular, a Catholic priest who was one of the witnesses explained how explosives were being detonated in the church premises amid efforts by the worshippers to flee from there.

This decision marks a landmark verdict on the issue of one of the most notorious cases of terrorist acts carried out in Nigeria.