The Federal Government will on Monday, August 11, 2025, arraign five men accused of carrying out the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, in which dozens of worshippers were killed.
The suspects — Idris Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Abubakar — are scheduled to appear before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a nine-count terrorism charge.
The arraignment comes three years after the then Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, announced their arrest. Following the incident, the National Security Council attributed the attack to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The Minister of Interior at the time, Rauf Aregbesola, had said then that the assault “has no ethnic-religious connection” and was unrelated to religion.
On June 5, 2022, gunmen and bombers targeted the congregation as a Sunday Mass was ending. A priest at the church, Andrew Abayomi, said, “We were in worship Mass when the terrorists attacked us. They shot at the congregation while breaking into the church by throwing improvised explosive devices at the church building.” He said the shooting lasted about 20 minutes before the assailants retreated.
Local residents estimated up to 70 people were killed, though official figures put the death toll at 38. Scores of others were injured, and some victims were abducted, including the presiding priest. Videos from the scene showed men, women, and children lying among pews, bloodied from gunfire and explosions.
The then governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, described the attack as a personal loss, saying, “Our hearts are heavy. Our peace and tranquillity have been attacked by the enemies of the people. Nevertheless, we shall commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay.”
Also, then-President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the killings, vowing that “darkness will never overcome light” and that Nigeria “will eventually win” against such violence.
Church leaders and residents connected the attack to wider insecurity across Nigeria, including recent assaults on clergy and church properties in other states. Christian Association of Nigeria officials at the time warned that the government’s failure to ensure safety risked pushing communities toward self-defence.
