The Federal Government will on Monday arraign five men accused of carrying out the deadly June 5, 2022 bombing of Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.
The suspects — Idris Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Abubakar — will appear before Justice Obiorah Egwatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja to face a nine-count terrorism charge.
The move comes nearly three years after the then Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, announced their arrest, with the National Security Council later linking the massacre to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The attack shocked the nation when armed assailants stormed the church during Sunday mass, opening fire on worshippers and detonating explosives.
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Over 40 people were killed and dozens more injured in what remains one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in Nigeria’s recent history.
Proceedings are expected to shed new light on the long-running investigation into the atrocity.
More updates to follow…