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ABUJA — In a landmark ruling delivered today, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced four terrorists to death for their masterminding roles in the gruesome June 2022 massacre at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.
A fifth defendant, who stood trial alongside the condemned men, was discharged and acquitted by the presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, following a rigorous trial that gripped the nation.
The Verdict
The judgment marks the culmination of a high-profile case prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS). During the trial, lead prosecution counsel Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN) argued that the prosecution had proven the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, urging the court to apply the maximum penalty prescribed by the law to serve as a deterrent.
Defence counsel Abdullahi Mohammad had previously asked the court to discharge and acquit all defendants citing a lack of sufficient evidence, but Justice Nwite ultimately found four of the five men guilty of terrorism, mass murder, and deploying explosives.
(Note on affiliations: While early unverified rumors on social media mistakenly linked the attackers to the Somalia-based Al-Shabaab, the Federal Government and Nigerian security forces confirmed that the attackers were operatives of the Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP).
A Look Back at “Black Sunday”
The conviction brings a measure of closure to one of the darkest days in Nigeria’s recent history.
On June 5, 2022 — Pentecost Sunday — gunmen stormed the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo. The attackers detonated improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and opened fire on the unsuspecting congregation from both inside and outside the building.
The brutal assault claimed the lives of over 40 worshippers, including women and infants, and left over 60 others severely injured. The massacre sparked international outrage, drawing swift condemnation from global leaders, the Vatican, and human rights organizations.
What This Means for Nigeria’s Fight Against Terror
Legal analysts are calling today’s ruling a massive victory for the Nigerian justice system and a major test of the country’s commitment to holding terrorists accountable for mass violence.
While the families of the victims can never have their loved ones returned, today’s gavel strike ensures that those who brought terror to the peaceful town of Owo will face the ultimate price.
Stay tuned to www.abtnews.net as we bring you more updates, exclusive interviews, and reactions from the victims’ families in Owo.
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