Al-Shabab Terrorists Set Off Three Bombs In Owo Church, K!lled 40 Worshipers – Witness

A Department of State Services (DSS) witness informed the Federal High Court in Abuja that St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, was attacked with three bombings on June 5, 2022, by suspected Al-Shabab terrorists, instantly k!lling more than 40 worshippers.

The witness who claimed that he was coordinating mass on the day of the violent attack said that the bombing erupted almost at the close of service.

Testifying on Thursday in the terrorism charges brought by DSS against five accused persons, the clergyman whose identity was concealed for security reasons told Justice Emeka Nwite that the impact of the third explosion was like the ground caved in.

The five accused persons put on trial by DSS are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar.

Before the bombing, the clergyman who testified as “SSA” narrated that there was sporadic shooting of guns within the church premises before the explosions.

In the confusion that ensued during the shooting, he said that he summoned courage in moving to the children’s hall and moved the children to safety in a restroom to escape the sporadic shooting by the attackers.

The witness who was led in evidence by the lead prosecutor, Ayodeji Adedipe, stated that it was while he and the children were in the safe shelter that a worshippers came and informed him that the attackers had left.

“I was in the church on 5 June 2022  coordinating mass. It was at the tail end of the mass that all of a sudden, we started hearing sporadic shooting of guns within the church premises.

“A serious confusion ensued but I managed to go to the children hall and moved them to the restroom to protect them from the attackers.

“Along the line, I heard three loud explosions during the deadly attack, the third being close to where I and the children were taking shelter. The impact of the third explosion was like the ground caved in.

“The deadly attack led to instant death of over 40 worshippers and several others sufferer various degrees of injury and were moved in ambulances to hospitals,” the witness said.

Meanwhile, Justice Nwite has shifted further trial of the five defendants to January 13 and 14, 2026.
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The judge had on September 10 refused the bail request made by the five alleged Al-Shabab terrorists, noting that the terrorism charges against them were capital in nature.

He also held that they were accused of being members of a strong terrorist organization who may intimidate witnesses and influence and jeopardize the trial of the defendants before the court.

Justice Nwite had upheld the arguments of the Department of the State Service, DSS, that the evidence against the alleged terrorists was strong and cannot be glossed over.

Besides, the judge said that the argument of the DSS that the accused persons will jump bail and bolt away if allowed to go home was not disputed and deemed to be true.

Justice Nwite also upheld the submission of the security agency that the five accused persons do not have credible sureties that can stand for them pending their trial.

He said that the arguments of the DSS that admitting them to bail would amount to judicial risk was also not challenged by their lawyers.

In all, Justice Nwite held that the defendants failed to give cogent and verifiable reasons on why they should be allowed home pending their trial and subsequently dismissed the bail request.

Some counts in the charge read: “That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar adults, males, with others still at large, sometime in 2021, did join and became members of AL Shabab Terrorist Group, with cell in Kogi State and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 25(1) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 30th May, 2022; 37 June, 2022 and 4 June, 2022, at Government Secondary School, Ogamirana, Adavi LGA, Kogi State and behind Omialafa Central Mosque, Ose LGA, Ondo State, respectively, attended and held meetings, where you agreed to and planned for the terrorist attack, which you carried out on 5™ June, 2022, at St. Francs Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(a) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 05/06/2022, at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, with intent to further your religious ideology and while armed with IEDs and AK 47 rifles, did attack worshippers, held them hostage and in the process, caused grievous bodily harm to over 100 persons, including Onileke Ayodele, John Blessing, Nselu Esther and Ogungbade Peter and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 24(2)(a) of the same Act.

“That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 05/06/2022, had in your possession IEDs and AK 47 rifles, with which you attacked worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, held them hostage, k!lled over 40 persons and caused grievous bodily harm to over 100 persons and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2(1)(2) and (3)(v) and punishable under Section 24(1) and (2) of TPPA, 2022.

“That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 05/06/2022, at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, with intent to cause death, did detonate Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which led to the death of over 40 persons, including: Ajanaku John; Onuoha Deborah; Onileke Esther and John Bosede and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 42 (a)(ii) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 05/06/2022, at St. Francis Catholic Church , Owo, Ondo State, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, did detonate Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) which caused grievous bodily harm to over 100 persons, including: Onuchukwu Happiness, Ogungbade Vivan and Nnakwe Paschaline Ugochinyerem and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 42(a)(i) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”