• Plead Not Guilty
By Abiola Olawale
Five men accused of allegedly orchestrating the 2022 bombing of Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria have been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The defendants, Idris Omeiza (25), Al-Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdul Malik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Abubakar (47), appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court on Monday.
However, they pleaded not guilty to nine count charges of terrorism acts filed by the Federal Government.
Presided over by Justice Nwite, the court session saw the prosecution, led by Calistus Eze, present a case linking the suspects to the Al-Shabab terrorist group, allegedly operating a cell in Kogi State.
The charges accused the defendants of allegedly planning and executing the attack, which involved detonating improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and firing AK-47 rifles at congregants.
Following the conclusion of the charges and the arguments of the legal counsels, Justice Nwite ordered the suspects to be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and set August 19, 2025, as the trial commencement date.
The defense, represented by Abdullahi Muhammad, requested access to the defendants for their relatives and legal counsel, which the prosecution assured would be facilitated per standard procedures.
This comes after over 40 worshippers were killed and scores injured when marauders invaded the church during a Sunday service and opened fire on Catholics during mass.
