The Federal High Court in Abuja has officially commenced the trial of five persons accused of masterminding the deadly bombing at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.
According to Mediaplusng.com, the Department of State Services (DSS) had on August 11, 2025, arraigned the suspects before Justice Emeka Nwite for their alleged roles in the June 5, 2022 attack that left more than 40 worshippers dead and over 100 others injured.
The defendants—Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar—are standing trial on nine counts of terrorism-related charges. The DSS alleges they coordinated the assault that shocked the nation, with each of them pleading not guilty before the court.
As reported by Mediaplusng.com, the prosecution further claimed the suspects are members of the Al-Shabab terrorist group, operating through a cell in Kogi State. They are accused of executing the attack as part of their extremist religious ideology.
The trial is expected to shed more light on the network behind the Owo bombing, which remains one of the deadliest terror attacks in recent Nigerian history
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