The Department of State Services (DSS) on Monday arraigned five men before a Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, in Ondo State.
The five persons, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar are to face trial for the attack which claimed over 40 lives and left over 100 others injured.
A security source confirmed that investigation so far revealed that four of the five suspects had earlier confessed to the attack and that the fifth, was a willing accomplice.
The five defendants were arraigned on a nine-count terrorism charge in a case marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025 filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The suspects were accused among others, of being members of the Al Shabab terrorist group, with cell in Kogi State.
The defendants were also alleged to have carried out the attack in furtherance of their religious ideology.
They pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them by an official of the court.
Following their not guilty plea, the prosecuting lawyer, Calistus Eze, urged the court to order that they be remanded in custody.
The defence lawyer, Abdullahi Muhammad however prayed the court to order the DSS to grant the defendants’ families and their lawyers access to them.
Muhammad said the defendants have been in custody since 2022 when they were arrested and have not had access to family members and their lawyers.
Eze said it was the standard practice that detainees’ family members and lawyers should be granted access after a formal written request.
He noted that it has become inevitable at this stage that the defendants be allowed access to their lawyers to enable them prepare their defence.
In his ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody and adjourned the case till August 19 for commencement of trial.
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