Three years after the horrific St. Francis Catholic Church bombing in Owo, Ondo State, the federal government has formally arraigned five men accused of orchestrating the massacre that left over 40 worshippers dead and dozens injured.
The suspects — Idris Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdul Malik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Abubakar — appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, August 11, 2025. All five pleaded not guilty to nine counts of terrorism.
According to the charge sheet (FHC/ABJ/301/2025), the men are alleged members of the Al-Shabab terrorist group, with an operational cell in Kogi State. The Attorney-General’s office, represented by the Director of Public Prosecutions, M.B. Abubakar, claims they joined the group in 2021 and planned the Owo attack during a series of meetings in Kogi and Ondo State between May 30 and June 4, 2022.
On June 5, 2022, armed terrorists stormed St. Francis Catholic Church during Sunday Mass, spraying bullets on worshippers in an attack that shook the nation. Survivors recall scenes of chaos and bloodshed, describing it as a crime against humanity — words echoed by then-Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
The National Security Council later linked the incident to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), though military authorities initially said the suspects had been arrested shortly after the attack.
Justice Nwite has ordered that the accused remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) until trial begins on August 19, 2025. For families of the victims, the court proceedings may finally offer a chance at justice — though the memories of that dark Sunday will never fade.
