The Federal Government is set to arraign five suspected terrorists in connection with the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, which claimed numerous lives.
The accused — Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar — were brought into the Federal High Court, Abuja, at about 9:05 a.m. on Monday under heavy security provided by Department of State Services (DSS) operatives.
They are to appear before Justice Emeka Nwite on a nine-count charge filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) in case number FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025.
The prosecution is led by M.B. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions, Federal Ministry of Justice.
According to the charge, the defendants, alongside others still at large, allegedly joined the Al-Shabab terrorist group in 2021 and operated a cell in Kogi State, an offence punishable under Section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
They are also accused of attending meetings in Kogi and Ondo States on May 30, June 3, and June 4, 2022, to plan the attack on the Owo church, in violation of Section 12(a) of the same Act.
As of press time, the arraignment had yet to commence.