Five suspects arrested in connection with the killing of worshippers at the Francis Catholic Church, Owo in Ondo State on June 5, 2022, have been arraigned in court.
The suspects were arraigned by the Federal Government before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
They were moved to the courtroom by officials of the State Security Services at about 9:05am on Monday, August 11.
They include Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar.
It was gathered that they were facing charges levelled against them by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The AGF is prosecuting the case against the suspects on behalf of the Federal Government.
The AGF, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025, preferred nine counts against the defendants.
Filed by M.B. Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Federal Ministry of Justice, the charges alleged that the suspects, and others who are at large, joined and became members of the Al-Shabaab Terrorist Group sometime in 2021.
They were alleged to have their “cell in Kogi and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. ”
However, the suspects upon arraignment pleaded not guilty to the charges.