By Gideon Maxwell
June 4, 2026
A Nigerian federal high court in Abuja has sentenced four men to death by hanging over their roles in the 2022 attack on St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, a massacre that killed dozens of worshippers and shocked the nation.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, followed years of investigation and prosecution under Nigeria’s terrorism laws, with the court finding the defendants guilty on multiple counts including terrorism, hostage taking, conspiracy, kidnapping and the use of explosives leading to mass death and injury.
The convicts, identified as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik and Abdulhaleem Idris, were also handed additional sentences including life imprisonment for membership of a terrorist organisation and further years for conspiracy, while a fifth defendant was discharged for lack of sufficient evidence.
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Court records and prosecution arguments linked the group to militant networks, alleging affiliation with Al-Shabaab cells and plans for additional attacks, although responsibility for the Owo massacre was never formally claimed by any known terror organisation, including ISWAP or Boko Haram, both of which were initially suspected.
The attack, which occurred during Sunday mass in June 2022, saw armed assailants and explosives deployed against congregants, resulting in mass casualties, including women and children, and leaving the community in prolonged trauma and national mourning.
Security analysts have described the ruling as one of the most significant terrorism convictions in recent years, underscoring both the scale of Nigeria’s internal security challenges and the slow but ongoing judicial response to high profile mass casualty attacks.
Ondo State authorities and senior legal officials have welcomed the verdict, describing it as a measure of justice for victims and a warning against violent extremism.
The case is expected to remain a reference point in Nigeria’s broader counter terrorism jurisprudence as the country continues to confront insurgency, banditry and coordinated attacks across multiple regions.
