Court grants DSS’ request to hide identity of witnesses in Owo church killing trial

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, granted an application filed by the Department of State Service (DSS) to shield its witnesses in the trial of five suspected terrorists who attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo in Ondo State.

Justice Emeka Nwite granted the request after DSS lawyer, Calistus Eze, moved the motion ex-parte to the effect and was not opposed by counsel to the defendants, Abdullahi Muhammad.

Eze had told the court that the application became necessary due to the ongoing threat against the would-be witnesses of the prosecution.

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 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 Federal Government had filed a nine-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025, against the five suspects.

The charge is dated and filed on July 23 by M.B. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions in the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The suspects and others, who are at large, were alleged to have sometime in 2021, joined and became members of AL Shabab Terrorist Group.

They were accused of operating their cell in Kogi State contrary to and punishable under Section 25(1) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 12(a) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The defendants were alleged to have, on June 5, with intent to cause death, did detonate Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which led to the death of over 40 persons, including: Ajanaku John; Onuoha Deborah; Onileke Esther and John Bosede.

They were also alleged to have, on June 5 at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo with intent to further their religious ideology and while armed with IEDs and AK 47 rifles, did attack worshippers, held them hostage and in the process, caused grievous bodily harm to over 100 persons, including Onileke Ayodele, John Blessing, Nselu Esther and Ogungbade Peter.

The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 42 (a)(ii) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, among other counts.(NAN)