*Over links with foreign terrorists
The Department of State Services (DSS), on Tuesday, urged a Federal High Court in Abuja not to grant bail to the five men currently facing trial over the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, citing their alleged ties to foreign terrorist networks.
In a counter-affidavit opposing their bail application, the DSS warned that the defendants posed a significant security risk if released, stressing their alleged connection with Al-Shabab and other foreign fighters.
The five defendants — Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47) — were arraigned on August 11 on a nine-count terrorism charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025. The charges stem from the church attack that killed about 40 worshippers and left more than 100 injured.
“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 DSS stated. It added that some accomplices were still at large and were making “frantic efforts” to monitor the trial, intimidate witnesses, and free the defendants from custody.
The agency also argued that prosecution witnesses had expressed fear of reprisal attacks and were unwilling to appear in court unless assured of their safety. This, it said, necessitated an ex-parte application for witness protection.
Defence counsel, Abdullahi Mohammad, moving the bail application, told the court that his clients had been in custody since 2022 and are prepared to produce “credible and reliable sureties” to guarantee their appearance at trial.
However, prosecuting counsel, Dr. Calistus Eze, urged the court to reject the application, noting that ongoing threats to witnesses made bail inappropriate.
Justice Emeka Nwite, after hearing arguments from both sides, adjourned ruling on the bail application to September 10.
Earlier in the proceedings, Eze informed the court that the DSS had handed the matter to a senior lawyer, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), to lead the prosecution team. He requested an adjournment to enable the agency to secure a fiat from the Attorney General of the Federation authorising Adedipe’s involvement. Mohammad did not oppose the request.
Eze also sought an order shielding the identities and personal details of prosecution witnesses, allowing them to testify while hooded and identified only by coded letters. Justice Nwite granted the application.
Speaking to journalists after the session, Mohammad said that although he had not physically met with his clients in custody, they had informed him that they were being well treated.
The hearing was also observed by lawyers Edward Ogar and Vincent Adodo, who held a watching brief for the Catholic Diocese of Ondo.
