Court Reserves Judgment in Owo Church Attack Case

The court has reserved judgment following final arguments in the case related to the June 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Nigeria, which resulted in numerous casualties.

Justice Emeka Nwite is overseeing the trial, with the prosecution led by Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, who urged the court to impose the maximum penalty prescribed by law, emphasizing the gravity of the attack. Adedipe argued that the prosecution has meticulously established its case against the defendants, who are accused of being involved in one of the deadliest attacks on worshippers in Nigerian history.

The defense counsel, Abdullahi Mohammad, countered by requesting the court to discharge and acquit his clients, asserting that the prosecution failed to sufficiently prove the charges. The attack drew widespread condemnation from various leaders, including President Muhammadu Buhari and Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who demanded justice for the victims and a tougher stance against terrorism.