Court to Rule on Owo Church Attackers This Week

A Federal High Court in Abuja will give its final judgment on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. This is in the case of five suspected terrorists involved in the deadly attack on a church in Owo. The court announced this last week on Tuesday, May 26, after holding back the judgment. Both the prosecution and defense lawyers were informed that the ruling will happen today.

Reports say at least 41 church members died in the attack, while 69 others were hurt. The attackers used explosives at the altar, causing chaos among the worshippers. After the attack, the Department of State Services arrested Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Abubakar. They face nine charges related to terrorism.

The DSS brought 11 witnesses to support the claims against the suspects. The trial began on August 1, 2025. The trial court accepted the defendants' confessions after a special trial was held to confirm that these statements were made voluntarily.

Last week, Justice Emeka Nwite listened to the final arguments from both sides before reserving the judgment. The prosecution lawyer, Ayodeji Adedipe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, asked the court to convict the defendants. He argued that given the seriousness of the crime, they should receive the maximum penalty of death.

On the other hand, the lawyer for the defendants, Abdullahi Mohammad, requested the court to free his clients. He claimed the prosecution did not prove its case against them.