•The suspects and the bombed church
The Department of State Services (DSS) has cautioned a Federal High Court in Abuja against granting bail to the five men being prosecuted over their alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022 attack at St. Francs Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State in view of their alleged link with foreign terrorist groups.
The DSS, in a counter-affidavit to the defendants’ bail application, also raised concern about their capacity to interfere with prosecution’s witnesses if granted bail in view of their alleged antecedent and propensity for violence, reports The Nation.
The five are: Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25 years), Al Qasim Idris 20 years), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26 years), Abdulhaleem Idris (25 years) and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47 years).
The five defendants were arraigned on August 11 on a nine-count terrorism charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025 filed by the DSS).
In the counter-affidavit, the DSS stated that the offences for which the defendants are standing trial are very serious, with capital punishment if convicted.
It added that the defendants are standing trial for acts of terrorism, which led to the death of about 40 persons and caused grievous injury to over 100 worshipers at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State on June 5, 2022.
The DSS said: “There is a very high likelihood of defendants evading trial in view of their connection to foreign fighters linked to Al-Shabab terrorist group.
“The defendants’ accomplices are still at large and have been making frantic efforts to monitor their trial, intimidate witnesses and free the defendants from lawful custody.”
The DSS disclosed that it was “currently investigating the leads with a view to apprehending those individuals, planning to intimidate witnesses and compromise the trial in the interest of the applicants.
“The prosecution witnesses have expressed fears of attacks by defendants’ cohorts and have stated that they will not attend court sessions except their fears were allayed.
“This necessitated the filing of an ex-parte application for witness protection.
“The prosecution has demonstrated readiness for speedy trial of the substantive charge. That defendants have not presented any evidence to show that they have credible sureties.
“It will not be in the interest of justice and security of prosecution witnesses to grant the application for bail,” the DSS said.
Defence lawyer, Abdullahi Mohammad had, while moving the bail application today, noted that his clients have been in custody since they were arrested in 2022.
Mohammad said his clients were ready to present credible and reliable sureties to demonstrate their willingness to stand trial.
Prosecuting lawyer, Dr. Calistus Eze urged the court to reject the bail application for being unmeritorious.
Eze stated that there are ongoing threats to would be witnesses of the prosecution, which the defence lawyer is aware of.
After taking arguments from both lawyers, Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned till September 10 for ruling on the bail application.
Earlier at the commencement of proceedings, Eze told the court that although the case was scheduled for today for the prosecution to open its case, it will not be able to proceed because the DSS has handed the case to a senior lawyer, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN) to lead the prosecuting team.
Eze prayed the court for an adjournment to a later date before which the DSS would have processed the necessary fiat from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to enable Adedipe to fully take over the handling of the case.
Mohammad did not object to Eze’s request for an adjournment. He also did not object to another application by Eze, seeking the protection of the identity and other personal particulars of the prosecution’s witnesses.
In the application, the prosecution prayed the court to issue an order to protect the identity and other personal particulars of the prosecution witnesses and an order allowing the prosecution witnesses to testify while hooded and veiled off from the view of all other individuals except the counsel on both sides.
The prosecution also urged the court to issue an order to prevent the mentioning of the real names of prosecution’s witnesses in its orders, judgments or records which are accessible to the public, and an order allowing witnesses should be identified with a combination of some alphabets.
In a brief ruling, Justice Nwite granted the application.
While exiting the court, Mohammed told journalists that although he has not had the opportunity to see his clients in custody, he was told by them that they were well attended to.
Today’s proceedings were also witnessed by two lawyers – Edward Ogar and Vincent Adodo – who held watching brief for the Catholic Diocese of Ondo.
