The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday rejected the bail application of five men accused of carrying out the deadly attack on St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which left over 40 worshippers dead.
Justice Emeka Nwite, delivering the ruling, held that the terrorism charges brought against the defendants were capital in nature and that granting them bail would pose a judicial risk.
The judge agreed with the Department of State Services (DSS) that the accused persons identified as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar could intimidate witnesses, interfere with investigations, or abscond if released.
He also ruled that the defendants had failed to provide credible sureties and did not present sufficient grounds to justify their release.
Before addressing the merits of the application, Justice Nwite described the motion as incompetent, noting that the names of the five defendants were not listed on the motion paper and that a single joint affidavit had been filed for all, contrary to legal requirements that each must file a separate affidavit.
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Upholding DSS submissions, the judge said the evidence against the men was strong, adding that their lawyers did not challenge arguments that they were flight risks. The application, dated August 11 and argued on August 19, was therefore dismissed.
Justice Nwite granted an accelerated hearing and fixed October 19 for the commencement of the trial.
The defendants face multiple terrorism charges, including membership of Al-Shabab, conspiracy, possession of explosives and firearms, and carrying out the June 5, 2022 attack on the Owo church, which caused over 40 deaths and left more than 100 people injured.
Their counsel, Abdullahi Awwal Ibrahim, had argued that they had assembled reliable sureties, but DSS counsel, Dr Callistus Eze, opposed the request, stressing that the severity of the charges made bail unsafe.
The charges allege that the accused joined the Al-Shabab terrorist group with a cell in Kogi State, attended meetings to plan the Owo attack, and carried it out using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and AK-47 rifles.
They are also accused of detaining worshippers, killing over 40 persons, and inflicting grievous injuries on more than 100 others, in violation of multiple provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
