Court Sentences Four to Death by Hanging for 2022 Owo Church Massacre

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four men to death by hanging for the 2022 terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, that killed 41 worshippers.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced four men to death by hanging for their roles in the June 5, 2022, terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State — a massacre that killed at least 41 worshippers and left scores injured.

Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the verdict on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, convicting Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), and Abdulhaleem Idris (25) on all nine counts of terrorism charges filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The charges included hostage-taking, kidnapping, terrorism financing, and the detonation of explosives causing death and injury. A fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47), was discharged and acquitted after the court found insufficient evidence linking him to the attack.

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Justice Nwite held that the prosecution established the guilt of all four convicts beyond reasonable doubt, citing compelling witness testimony — including accounts from survivors — as well as confessional statements admitted after a trial-within-trial confirmed they were voluntarily given.

The trial, which began on August 1, 2025, saw prosecution counsel Senior Advocate of Nigeria Ayodeji Adedipe call 11 witnesses. Defence counsel Abdullahi Mohammad had urged the court to discharge and acquit the accused, arguing the prosecution failed to prove its case. The defence has indicated it will appeal the ruling.

According to court filings, the convicts allegedly joined the East African militant group al-Shabaab in 2021 and were linked to plans for further attacks, including at a public school in central Nigeria. Authorities had initially blamed the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) for the Owo church attack, though neither ISWAP nor al-Shabaab publicly claimed responsibility.

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa described the judgment as a victory for justice and the rule of law. The Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, called it a relief and said: "To a large extent, it is justice served." The Catholic Bishop of Ondo Diocese, Rev. Jude Ayodeji Arogundade, also welcomed the verdict.

As VIsBlog reported during the trial proceedings, the Owo church massacre remains one of the deadliest attacks on a place of worship in Nigeria's recent history. The verdict is being widely viewed as a test of Nigeria's capacity to successfully prosecute high-profile terrorism cases as the country continues to battle widespread insecurity.

The Olowo urged security agencies to continue investigating whether additional individuals were involved in planning and executing the attack, insisting that the prosecution of all culpable parties must continue.