The Federal Government (FG) has charged five individuals in a federal high court in Abuja for their alleged roles in the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.
The attack resulted in the deaths of over 40 worshippers.
The suspects, identified as Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, were brought to court by the Department of State Services (DSS) to face a nine-count charge.
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The charges, filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, allege that the suspects are members of the Al Shabab terrorist group.
According to the charges, the accused allegedly joined the group in 2021 and established a cell in Kogi State.
The federal government claims the suspects held planning meetings in both Kogi and Ondo states in 2022 before carrying out the attack.
The alleged actions are a violation of Section 25(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
They faced a nine-count terrorism charge.
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The arraignment comes three years after the then-Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, first stated that the culprits were apprehended.
The National Security Council previously connected the brutal assault, where gunmen opened fire on parishioners during a Sunday service, to the activities of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
