DSS asks a Federal High Court to sentence five suspects to death over the 2022 St. Francis Catholic Church attack in Owo

The Department of State Services (DSS) has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to impose the death penalty on five men standing trial over the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

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Counsel to the DSS, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), made the request on Tuesday while presenting the agency’s final written address before Justice Emeka Nwite.

Adedipe urged the court to convict the defendants and impose the maximum punishment allowed by law, arguing that the severity of the alleged offences warranted the highest sentence.

The five defendants, Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Abubakar, are facing a nine-count charge bordering on terrorism.

In response, defence counsel Abdullahi Mohammad asked the court to discharge and acquit his clients, contending that the prosecution failed to establish its case beyond reasonable doubt.

After listening to the final submissions from both parties, Justice Nwite reserved judgment and said a date for delivery would be communicated to the prosecution and defence.

The judge indicated that parties would receive official notice once the judgment was ready, suggesting that notification could come within 24 hours.

The trial began on August 1, 2025, after the DSS secured an accelerated hearing of the case.

During the proceedings, the prosecution called 11 witnesses in an effort to prove the allegations against the defendants.

The court also admitted confessional statements attributed to the accused persons following a trial-within-trial conducted to determine whether the statements were made voluntarily.

The attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo left 41 worshippers dead and more than 140 others injured, making it one of the deadliest attacks on a place of worship in recent Nigerian history.

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Judgment is now awaited on the terrorism charges brought against the five defendants.