bloomshorts A Federal High Court in Abuja has begun the trial of five men accused of orchestrating the bombing of St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, an attack that left over 40 dead and more than 100 injured.
The Department of State Services (DSS) presented the suspects before Justice Emeka Nwite on August 11, 2025, charging them with nine counts of terrorism. The defendants, identified as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Authorities allege the suspects are members of the Al Shabab terrorist group, operating from a cell in Kogi State, and carried out the attack to further their religious ideology. The case highlights the ongoing challenges of terrorism in Nigeria.
