A court in Nigeria has sentenced four men to death for attacking a church in the south-western Ondo state in 2022 in a case which sent shockwaves across the nation.
Forty-one worshippers were killed and more than 100 others injured when they opened fire at the St Francis Catholic church in the town of Owo during a Pentecost service.
The court in the capital Abuja also sentenced the men – Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik and Abdulhaleem Idris – to 20 years in prison for belonging to a terrorist group.
Presidential assent is required before any death sentence is carried out in Nigeria. There have not been any executions in the country for several years.
Judge Emeka Nwite, who presided over the case, said the evidence presented against them was “neither shaken nor contradicted during cross examination”.
He had ordered an accelerated hearing after the high-profile trial commenced in August 2025.
In his judgement, Justice Nwite said that the prosecution had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt as they had brought before the court witnesses who saw the attack, including one who testified to recognising two of the defendants as attackers.
“Hence this court finds the first to fourth defendants guilty of all nine counts,” he added.
One of the witnesses the court heard from was a woman who had her legs amputated from the knees, and had lost her left eye as a result of a dynamite explosion which the attackers had detonated.
The nine counts included joining a terror group, and planning and carrying out killings.
Prosecutor Ayodeji Adedipe said: “Justice has been served, justice has been done to the deceased who were murdered in cold blood.”
The men’s defence lawyer said they would appeal against the sentence.
In his judgement, Justice Nwite said that the prosecution had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt as they had brought before the court witnesses who saw the attack, including one who testified to recognising two of the defendants as attackers.
“Hence this court finds the first to fourth defendants guilty of all nine counts,” he added.
One of the witnesses the court heard from was a woman who had her legs amputated from the knees, and had lost her left eye as a result of a dynamite explosion which the attackers had detonated.
The nine counts included joining a terror group, and planning and carrying out killings.
Prosecutor Ayodeji Adedipe said: “Justice has been served, justice has been done to the deceased who were murdered in cold blood.”
The men’s defence lawyer said they would appeal against the sentence.
In his judgement, Justice Nwite said that the prosecution had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt as they had brought before the court witnesses who saw the attack, including one who testified to recognising two of the defendants as attackers.
“Hence this court finds the first to fourth defendants guilty of all nine counts,” he added.
One of the witnesses the court heard from was a woman who had her legs amputated from the knees, and had lost her left eye as a result of a dynamite explosion which the attackers had detonated.
The nine counts included joining a terror group, and planning and carrying out killings.
Prosecutor Ayodeji Adedipe said: “Justice has been served, justice has been done to the deceased who were murdered in cold blood.”
The men’s defence lawyer said they would appeal against the sentence.
BBC