The Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, ordered the remand of five suspected terrorists who attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo in Ondo State on June 5, 2022, in Department of State Services (DSS) facility.
Justice Emeka Nwite, a vacation judge, gave the order after the five suspects were arraigned and pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against them by the Federal Government.
The suspects include Idris Omeiza, 25 years; Al Qasim Idris, 20 years; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26 years; Abdulhaleem Idris, 25 years and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, 47 years.
They are 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
The terror attack, which occured on June 5, 2022, at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo in Ondo State left over 40 worshippers dead while over 100 others sustained injuries.
The nine-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025, was dated and filed on July 23 by M.B. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions in the Federal Ministry of Justice.
When the matter was called, Calistus Eze, who appeared for the FG, informed the court that the matter was scheduled for the arraignment of the defendants.
Eze, however, said that since the charge was filed during the vacation, a summon ex-parte had been filed alongside. He prayed the court for a leave to move the application and it was granted.
Moving the application, Eze said the summon ex-parte was dated and filed on July 28 and prayed the court for an order allowing the charge to be taken within the vacation period.
Justice Nwite granted the relief in a short ruling.
“In view of this my lord, we apply that the charge be read to the defendants,” Eze said.
And after the counts were read to the defendants, they all pleaded not guilty.
The prosecuting lawyer then sought a trial date and urged the court to remand them in DSS custody.
Responding, counsel to the defendants, Abdullahi Muhammad, did not oppose Eze’s application.
Muhammad, however, urged the court to make an order allowing the defendants access to their relatives and lawyers.
According to him, the defendants have been in custody since 2022 and we have not had access to them. But Eze said as a matter of practice and procedure, defendants are allowed access to their lawyers and relatives if a letter is written, stating the date and time.
The lawyer added that since the trial had also commenced, the defendants would be afforded with the time and facility needed to defend themselves.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until Aug. 19 for commencement of trial and ordered them to be remanded at the DSS custody.
