Justice has finally caught up with those linked to one of Nigeria’s deadliest attacks on worshippers. A court convicted four terrorists over the Owo church massacre when gunmen attacked St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, during a Pentecost service on June 5, 2022 killing forty-three worshipers.
The Federal High Court in Abuja found four defendants guilty of terrorism related charges connected to the attack. The judgment followed months of trial and evidence presented by prosecutors.
The court presided by Justice Emeka Nwite delivered judgment in the case on Wednesday and sentenced four of the convicted terrorists to death by hanging. Prosecutors had urged the court to impose the maximum penalty because of the scale of the attack.
Investigators presented confessional statements, forensic reports and other exhibits during the trial.
The DSS also called multiple witnesses to support the prosecution’s case. Authorities arrested and prosecuted suspects linked to the attack after years of investigations.
The case became one of Nigeria’s most significant terrorism prosecutions because the Owo church attack shocked Nigeria and the international community making families of victims to continue to seek justice since the tragedy.
The verdict marks a major moment in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism. It also sends a strong message against attacks on innocent civilians and places of worship as today, justice was served.
