Court sentence four suspects of Owo church massacre to death

One Federal High Court for Abuja don find four of Owo church massacre suspects guilty and sentence dem to death.

Di trial judge discharge and acquit di fifth defendant.

Justice Emeka Nwite say di prosecution prove dia case well-well especially as one of di victims at di attack identify two of di suspects say dem follow enta di Church on dat day.

Di ruling happun on Wednesday as five suspects wey di Nigeria govment bin accuse say na dem be di gunmen wey kpai more dan 40 pipo for one Catholic church for Ondo State, southwest Nigeria, for 2022, appear for court.

Di defendants na Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar.

Di Department of State Services (DSS) wey dey prosecute di suspects bin ask di court to give dem di maximum punishment if dem dey guilty.

Di allegation against di fifth defendant be say na im fund di attack afta dem collect 800 thousand naira im POS machine, wey dem later share to di attackers.

But under cross examination e explain say di money wey e collect na from im cooperative society and also from im farming business.

E say di defendants no be di beneficiaries of di money and e no get any business wit them.

For di judgement, di trial judge say prosecution no prove dia case well against di fifth defendant beyond reasonable doubt - na so dem discharge and acquit am.

For di last hearing date, Ayodeji Adedipe, wey be lawyer to di DSS tok say di evidence wey dem don place bifor di court dey enof to prove say di defendants bin dey involved for di attack and say dia action warrant death sentence.

Di fifth defendant bin chop accuse say e finance di attack by receiving 800k from im POS machine, wey e disburse to di attackers.

But under cross examination e explain say di moni e receive na from im cooperative society and also from im farming business. E say di defendants no be beneficiaries of di moni and e no get business wit dem.

For im judgement, di trial judge say di prosecution no prove dia case against di fifth defendant beyond reasonable doubt, and add say e dey discharged and acquited.

Di expectation of dis for counts four, five, six, seven, eight and nine upon you be say go dey hanged by di neck until you kpai. May di Lord get mercy on your soul," di judge tok.

Di Owo church massacre

E go hard for pipo to forget di massacre wey happun for Owo, Ondo State south-west Nigeria on Sunday June 5, 2022.

Some jaguda pipo carry gun enta di town and attack St Francis Xavier Catholic church during Sunday mass.

Worshippers for di church bin dey celebrate Pentecost wen di gunmen open fire among di congregation wey kill 40 pipo, including four children.

Di Pope dat time, late Francis and former President of Nigeria, late Muhammadu Buhari bin condemn di attack.

Two months afta di terror attack, di then Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor say dem don arrest five suspects and dem dey face nine count charges for terrorism.

Nigeria govment also accuse dem say dem be members of di Al-Shabab terrorist group wey get branch for Kogi State.

Di suspects plead not guilty to di nine counts of terrorism wey Nigeria govment sama dem.

On 11 August 2025, di DSS bin arraign dem bifor Justice Emeka Nwite of di Federal High Court, Abuja. Di Justice bin order di suspects to remain for DSS custody.

Dat na di first time di security agency dey arraign di suspects for court since 2022 and na three years afta di Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor bin tok say dem arrest dem.

Di Court for Abuja come later fix 19 August 2025 to begin di trial of di five suspects.