The Federal Government is set to arraign five men alleged to be behind the June 5, 2022, bombing of Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.
The defendants, Idris Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Abubakar, are to be arraigned before Justice Obiorah Egwatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
According to court filings, the Federal Government has slammed nine counts bordering on terrorism against the accused persons.
Naijaonpoint recalls that the horrific attack claimed over 40 lives and left many others injured.
Their arraignment comes three years after the then Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, announced that those responsible for the attack had been arrested.
At the time, the National Security Council linked the church massacre to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a notorious terrorist group blamed for several attacks across the country.
The June 5, 2022, tragedy shocked the nation when armed marauders stormed Saint Francis Catholic Church during a Sunday mass, detonating explosives and opening fire on worshippers.
Over 40 people, including women and children, were killed, while dozens sustained varying degrees of injury in one of Nigeria’s deadliest church attacks in recent years.
See Video of the suspects in court below:
Speaking during a media parley at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, in August 2022, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, revealed the identity of the gunmen behind the attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.
Irabor confirmed that the gunmen responsible for the attack are members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The CDS also confirmed that the suspects had been arrested and would be presented to the public after an investigation had been concluded into the matter.
He said, “Within the last time we met, we have recorded remarkable achievement. Let me bring it to your notice that within the same period, there have been ignoble actions of men of the underworld that have impinged on our collective well-being, namely the unfortunate train attack, the attack on Kuje correctional center as well as what has been reported in the past the attack on the presidential convoy.
“Also, the Owo incident which was intended to bring man and women of the armed forces to present them in a form and shape that make it to look as if the nation is on a siege. We have arrested those behind the dastardly act in Owo.
“It was my intention to present them to the public, but because of the investigation still going on, I had to change my mind. I will like to say that in due course, the world will see them and others who are behind other daring attacks in the country.”
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