Owo church terror trial judgment was reserved by a Federal High Court in Abuja over the 2022 attack that killed 41 worshippers

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday reserved judgment in the trial of five men accused of involvement in the deadly 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, which left 41 worshippers dead and more than 140 others injured.

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Justice Emeka Nwite fixed judgment for a date to be communicated to both parties after counsel for the prosecution and defence adopted their final written addresses in the high-profile Owo church terror trial.

The judge informed lawyers that the court would notify them once the judgment was ready, adding that the notice could come within 24 hours.

Counsel for the Department of State Services, Ayodeji Adedipe, urged the court during his final address to convict the defendants and impose the maximum sentence of death because of the severity of the offence.

Defence counsel, Abdullahi Mohammad, however, asked the court to discharge and acquit the accused persons, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The defendants standing trial are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar.

The DSS had called 11 witnesses since the commencement of the trial on August 1, 2025, in an effort to prove the allegations against the suspects.

Earlier in the proceedings, the court admitted confessional statements made by the defendants after conducting a trial-within-trial to determine whether the statements were voluntarily obtained.

The June 5, 2022, attack occurred during a Sunday mass at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, in what remains one of the most devastating assaults on a place of worship in Nigeria’s recent history.

Armed assailants reportedly stormed the church premises and opened fire on worshippers, triggering widespread outrage across Nigeria and internationally.

The massacre plunged the Owo community into deep mourning and prompted intensified security operations nationwide amid fears over rising terror attacks on civilian targets.

At the time of the incident, the late Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, described the attack as a “deliberate, vicious and calculated assault on peace-loving people” while calling for urgent federal intervention to improve security in vulnerable communities.

Akeredolu also coordinated emergency responses, including visits to injured victims and relief efforts for affected families.

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Following investigations, the DSS identified and arraigned the five suspects in connection with the attack, leading to the closely watched Owo church terror trial now awaiting judgment.