KEY POINTS
- Owo church massacre case tests Nigeria’s terrorism prosecution.
- Five suspects charged under terrorism law in Abuja court.
- Militants allegedly linked to Al Shabaab network.
Nigerian prosecutors have arraigned five men accused of carrying out the 2022 massacre at a Catholic church in Owo, Ondo State — an attack that killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 100 others during a Sunday mass service.
The defendants — Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar — appeared before a federal high court in Abuja on Monday. They were charged under Nigeria’s terrorism law and pleaded not guilty. Judge Emeka Nwite ordered they remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) until trial begins on August 19.
Owo church massacre case heads to trial
The Owo church massacre case will test Nigeria’s ability to prosecute terrorism-related crimes, a process often hampered by procedural delays and security challenges. Prosecutors allege the men joined the East African militant group Al Shabaab in 2021 and conspired to carry out attacks at a public school in central Nigeria, near a mosque about 30 kilometers from St. Francis Catholic Church, before striking in Owo.
Authorities initially blamed Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which has battled Nigerian forces in the northeast alongside Boko Haram for more than a decade. However, neither ISWAP nor Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the assault.
Lingering questions over militant links in Nigeria
According to MyJoyOnline, the alleged involvement of Al Shabaab — whose presence in Nigeria has not been independently confirmed — raises new questions about cross-border militant operations in West Africa. Analysts say the case could set a precedent for how Nigeria handles terrorism charges tied to foreign-linked extremist groups.
The June 2022 attack highlighted the expanding geography of violence in Africa’s most populous country.
