Trial of Owo Church Attack Suspects Begins in Abuja

The trial of five defendants accused of participating in the June 5, 2022, terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo commenced on August 1, 2025. The attack left 41 worshippers dead and 140 injured.

The Department of State Services (DSS) is calling 11 witnesses to establish its case against the defendants: Idri Abdulmalik, Omeiza, Al Qasim Idri, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idri, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar. The court has admitted confession statements, and a trial within a trial is being conducted to determine the voluntariness of these statements.

Testimonies revealed that Omeiza was arrested on August 1, 2022, alongside two boys, and he described the circumstances of his arrest. The defendants were detained until August 18, 2022, when they were transferred to Ondo State.

The DSS has not questioned the defendants about their alleged membership in the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Justice Emeka Nwite has adjourned the case to March 6 for further hearings.