Owo church attackers have ties to Al-Shabab – DSS

DSS officers

The Department of State Services has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to deny bail to five men standing trial over their alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022, terror attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, which left about 40 worshippers dead and over 100 injured.

The DSS, in a counter-affidavit to the defendants’ bail application, warned that the men had alleged ties to foreign terrorist fighters linked to the Al-Shabab group and could abscond if released.

The defendants are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47).

They were arraigned on August 11 on nine counts, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025, bordering on terrorism.

The DSS argued that granting bail would endanger the safety of witnesses and compromise the trial.

It 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. Punch