By Hadiza Mohammed, Northern Operation
A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four terrorists to death by hanging for their roles in the deadly attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, which claimed the lives of no fewer than 43 worshippers.
The death sentences were handed down on Wednesday by Justice Emeka Nwite, who found the four defendants guilty on all nine counts filed against them by the Federal Government.
Those sentenced to death are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25; Al Qasim Idris, 20; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26; and Abdulhaleem Idris, 25.
Justice Nwite ordered that the convicts be hanged until they are dead, having been found culpable in the June 5, 2022 attack that shocked the nation and left dozens of worshippers dead and many others injured.
However, the fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, 47, was discharged and acquitted of all charges after the court held that the prosecution failed to establish a case against him.
The judgment marks a significant milestone in the prosecution of those linked to one of Nigeria’s deadliest attacks on a place of worship in recent years.
The Saint Francis Catholic Church attack in Owo, Ondo State, sparked widespread outrage across the country and drew international condemnation following the mass killing of worshippers during a Sunday service.
