A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the bail requests for five individuals suspected of orchestrating the deadly bombing of a Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.
The court’s decision was made on Wednesday, leaving the accused in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) to await trial.
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The suspects, identified as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, were formally charged on August 11, 2025.
They face serious terrorism charges related to the June 5, 2022, attack on St.
Francis Catholic Church, an event that resulted in more than 40 deaths and over 100 injuries. Authorities believe the men are members of the Al-Shabaab terrorist organisation.
During the court proceedings, Justice Emeka Nwite denied their bail application.
The judge stated that the grave nature of the terrorism charges, which carry a potential death penalty, was a primary factor.
He also sided with the DSS’s arguments that releasing the men could lead to their fleeing the country, tampering with evidence, or intimidating witnesses.
The court noted that the defence lawyers did not challenge the DSS’s claims of substantial evidence against the suspects.
The New Daily Prime gathered that on 5 June 2022, a mass shooting and bomb attack occurred at a Catholic church in the city of Owo.
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No fewer than 40 people were killed, with the highest estimates being around 80.
Some in the federal government of Nigeria suspect the Islamic State – West Africa Province of carrying out the massacre.
