After Three Years, Owo Church Attackers Plead Not Guilty

Post created on 10:13 am

Three years after the bloody massacre carried out by suspects linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) at the Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, five of the suspects arrested during the tenure of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, have all pleaded not guilty.

Idris Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdul Malik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Abubakar were all arraigned at the Federal High Court on Monday before Justice Emeka Nwite, with nine counts of terrorism, membership in the Al-Shabab terrorist group, and operating a cell in Kogi State.

All suspects were remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) by court order until August 19, 2025.