KEY POINTS

• Four men have been sentenced to death for their roles in the 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which killed 41 worshippers.
• The convicts were also handed 20-year prison terms for belonging to a terrorist group, while a fifth defendant was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
• The judgment marks a major milestone in one of Nigeria’s most shocking terror cases, amid ongoing concerns over insecurity and attacks on places of worship.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four men to death for their involvement in the horrific attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, an incident that remains one of the deadliest attacks on a place of worship in Nigeria’s recent history.

The convicted men, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, and Abdulhaleem Idris, were found guilty of participating in the June 5, 2022 attack that left 41 worshippers dead and more than 100 others injured during a Pentecost Sunday service.

The attack shocked Nigerians and drew widespread condemnation from religious leaders, civil society groups, and the international community.

Delivering judgment, Justice Emeka Nwite ruled that the prosecution had successfully established the guilt of the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.

Evidence Found Credible and Unchallenged

According to the court, the evidence presented by prosecutors remained consistent throughout the trial and was not effectively challenged during cross-examination.

Justice Nwite noted that several witnesses directly linked the defendants to the attack. Among them was a witness who testified that he recognised two of the accused persons during the assault.

“The evidence before the court was neither shaken nor contradicted during cross-examination,” the judge stated.

Consequently, the court found the four defendants guilty on all nine charges brought against them, including terrorism-related offences, conspiracy, and the murder of worshippers.

In addition to the death sentences, the court imposed a 20-year prison term on each of the four convicts for belonging to a terrorist organisation.

The charges against them included membership of a terror group, planning terrorist activities, facilitating attacks, and carrying out the killings at the church.