The 2022 Owo Church Attack

The attack in Owo

On June 5, 2022, worshippers were gathered for Pentecost Sunday Mass at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo when attackers struck the congregation. The assault caused one of the deadliest attacks on a place of worship in recent Nigerian history.

Fatality totals vary across reputable reports. Nigerian court coverage commonly described more than 40 deaths and more than 100 injuries, while some international reporting has used a higher toll. Because those figures are not perfectly uniform, this page avoids presenting one contested number as absolute.

Investigation and arrests

The investigation involved Nigeria's State Security Service and other security agencies. Years passed between the attack and the federal prosecution that ultimately reached judgment. Five men were brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja on terrorism charges alleging participation in the planning and execution of the attack.

The defendants pleaded not guilty when arraigned. The prosecution called witnesses and tendered evidence, including statements and digital material. The defence challenged the prosecution's case and asked the court to acquit the defendants.

The June 2026 judgment

On June 3, 2026, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court convicted Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik and Abdulhaleem Idris on terrorism-related counts tied to the church attack. The court imposed death sentences on the four men, along with additional punishments on other counts.

The fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, was discharged and acquitted after the court found the evidence insufficient to connect him to the attack. Crime by Region does not blur that distinction: Abubakar is not described here as a convicted participant.

What the judgment did — and did not — establish

The trial court found the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the four convicted defendants. Contemporary reporting described findings that they belonged to a terrorist organization and participated in planning and carrying out the attack.

At the same time, early public attribution of the attack shifted over time, and militant organizations did not consistently claim responsibility. This page therefore relies on what the court established about the defendants before it rather than converting every public intelligence claim into a judicial fact.

Current status

The case is classified Partially Adjudicated. Four defendants were convicted in a major federal judgment on June 3, 2026, while a fifth was acquitted. As of this review in August 2026, Crime by Region did not locate a reliable published appellate decision that finally resolved any appeal from that judgment. The convictions therefore stand as the verified trial outcome, while the full appellate posture remains open to later update.

Timeline