THE Federal High Court in Abuja has begun hearing the case against five men accused of orchestrating the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State—a tragedy that claimed more than 40 lives and left over 100 people injured.
The suspects, identified as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, were arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite by the Department of State Services (DSS) on August 11, 2025.
They face nine counts of terrorism and other related offenses but have all pleaded not guilty.
According to the DSS, the defendants are alleged members of the Al Shabab terrorist network, with a base operating out of Kogi State.
Prosecutors claim the group carried out the attack as part of a broader extremist agenda, in violation of Section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Investigators further allege that the men held secret meetings at Government Secondary School in Adavi, Kogi State, and at a site near Omialafa Central Mosque in Ose, Ondo State, where the deadly plot was hatched.
The trial marks a significant step in efforts to bring justice to victims of one of Nigeria’s deadliest church attacks in recent history.