By TAIYE AGBAJE

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 3 for judgment in the trial of five men being prosecuted for the terrorist attack in Owo church that killed no fewer than 41 worshippers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Department of State Services (DSS) had filed terrorism charges against the suspects for their alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

Justice Emeka Nwite had, on May 26, reserved judgment after lawyers to the prosecution and the defence adopted their final written addresses and presented their arguments for and against the case.

Justice Nwite had said that judgement would be reserved to a date to be communicated to parties.

NAN, however, gathered on Monday that the matter is now fixed for June 3 for judgment .

In his final submission in the last adjourned date, lawyer to the prosecution, Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, urged the court to convict the defendants and impose the maximum sentence of death in view of the enormity of the crime they allegedly committed.

On his part, the defendants’ lawyer, Abdullahi Mohammad, prayed the court to discharge and acquit his clients on the grounds that the prosecution was unable to establish its case against them.

A total of 41 worshippers were killed during the terror attack on the church, while over 140 others suffered various injuries.

The DSS had called 11 witnesses to establish the allegations against the defendants in the trial that began on Aug. 1, 2025.

The trial court had admitted the confessional statements of the defendants following the conclusion of the trial- within-trial conducted to establish that the witnesses’ statements were voluntarily given.

The five defendants are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25 years), Al Qasim Idris (20 years), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26 years), Abdulhaleem Idris (25 years) and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47 years).

The DSS had, in the commencement of the trial, sought an accelerated hearing which was granted by the court.(NAN)

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