Abuja High Court reserves judgment in church attack trial

A Federal High Court in Abuja has reserved judgment in the trial of five men accused of carrying out a deadly attack on a Catholic church in Ondo State. The court concluded closing arguments on Tuesday, with a verdict expected to be announced imminently.

The five defendants—Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar—are charged with terrorism for their alleged roles in the assault on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo on June 5, 2022. The attack, which occurred during a Pentecost Sunday Mass, involved gunmen opening fire and detonating explosives, killing at least 41 worshippers and injuring more than 140 others.

Prosecutors from the State Security Service argued the suspects belonged to an Al Shabaab cell operating in Kogi State and planned the assault as part of a violent religious agenda. In his final address, the prosecution lawyer urged the court to impose the maximum punishment of death, citing the gravity of the offense. The defense counsel, however, asked for the acquittal of all five men, contending the prosecution failed to prove its case.

The trial, which began in December 2025 after an accelerated hearing was...