Abuja Court Sentences 4 Al-Shabaab Members to Death Over Owo Church Attack

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced four members of the Al-Shabaab to death by hanging for their involvement in the deadly attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

The attack, which occurred on June 5, 2022, left more than 40 worshippers dead and over 100 others injured, making it one of the deadliest assaults on a place of worship in recent years.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Emeka Nwite convicted four defendants — Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), and Abdulhaleem Idris (25) — on a nine-count terrorism charge filed by the Department of State Services on behalf of the Federal Government.

The court, however, discharged and acquitted a fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47), due to insufficient evidence linking him to the attack.

Justice Nwite ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, stating that the convicts were active members of a terrorist cell responsible for the massacre.

He further held that the defendants were part of an Al-Shabaab-linked group operating in Kogi State and directly participated in the attack during a Pentecost service at the church.

The judgment marks a major step in the prosecution of those responsible for the tragic incident that shocked the nation and drew widespread condemnation both locally and internationally.