Court Approves DSS Request to Shield Witnesses in Owo Church Massacre Trial

|By Adejumo Adekunle

The Federal High Court in Abuja has approved a request by the Department of State Services (DSS) to conceal the identities of witnesses in the trial of five suspected Al-Shabab terrorists accused of masterminding the deadly attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.

Justice Emeka Nwite, ruling on Tuesday, granted the ex-parte application filed by DSS counsel, Dr. C. S. Eze, who argued that the measure was crucial to safeguard witnesses from possible reprisals. He stressed that terrorism trials are highly sensitive and require strict protection for those who testify.

The court subsequently barred the DSS from disclosing the names or identities of the witnesses.

The defendants — Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar — were arraigned on August 11 on a nine-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025.

They are accused of belonging to an Al-Shabab cell based in Kogi State and carrying out the June 5, 2022, attack on the church, which left more than 40 worshippers dead and over 100 others injured.

The suspects, however, pleaded not guilty to the terrorism charges when they were read in court.