Owo massacre suspects to remain in custody, court rules out bail, fixes trial date
An Abuja Federal High Court on Wednesday denied bail to five men accused of belonging to the Al-Shabab terrorist group and carrying out the deadly attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which claimed more than 40 lives.
In his ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite held that the charges against the defendants—Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar—were grave, capital in nature, and carried weighty evidence.
The judge agreed with the Department of State Services (DSS) that releasing the suspects would pose a judicial risk, as they could intimidate witnesses, influence proceedings, or abscond from trial. He further noted that the defendants failed to present credible sureties to guarantee their appearance in court.
Justice Nwite also faulted the bail motion for procedural lapses. He pointed out that the defendants’ names were omitted from the motion paper and that a single affidavit was filed for all five accused persons, contrary to legal requirements for separate supporting affidavits.
While dismissing the bail application as lacking merit, the court ordered an accelerated hearing and fixed October 19 for commencement of trial.
Earlier, defence counsel Abdullahi Awwal Ibrahim had argued that his clients had assembled “reliable and responsible sureties” to stand for them. The prosecution, led by DSS lawyer Dr. Callistus Eze, opposed the request, insisting that the gravity of the charges made the risk of escape too high.
The defendants face multiple counts under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Prosecutors allege they became members of an Al-Shabab cell in Kogi State in 2021 and took part in meetings between May and June 2022 where the Owo church attack was planned. They are accused of carrying out the massacre on June 5, 2022, in which worshippers were brutally killed.
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