Four sentenced to death for 2022 Nigeria church attack

A Nigerian court has sentenced four men to death by hanging for their involvement in a deadly attack on a Catholic church in the southwestern state of Ondo in June 2022. The assault, which occurred during Pentecost Mass at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, resulted in the deaths of at least 40 worshippers and injured over 100 others.

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The prosecution has successfully proven, beyond a reasonable doubt, the nine charges against the first, second, third, and fourth defendants.

Judge Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja found the four defendants – Idris Abdul Malik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdul Malik, and Abdul Haleem Idris – guilty on nine charges. These included membership in the jihadist group Al Shabab and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), conspiracy to commit terrorism, kidnapping, hostage-taking, and murder.

The convicted men, aged between 20 and 26, had pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their defense team has stated they will appeal the sentences. A fifth accused individual, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, was acquitted due to insufficient evidence against him.

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Justice has been done for the deceased and their families.

Prosecutor Ayodeji Adedipe celebrated the verdict, stating, "Justice has been done for the deceased and their families." The governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, also commended the judiciary, calling the ruling "a victory for our state and justice for the victims and their families." Nigeria has been grappling with violence from extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP since 2009, with these groups aiming to establish an Islamic state. The conflict has caused tens of thousands of deaths and millions of displacements, primarily in the northern regions.

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the court has done the right thing in what he described as 'a victory for our state and justice for the victims and their families'.