Court Allows DSS to Shield Witnesses in Owo Church Attack Trial

The Federal High Court in Abuja has authorized the Department of State Services (DSS) to conceal the identities of witnesses set to testify in the trial of five men accused of carrying out the June 5, 2022, terror attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

The attack left more than 40 worshippers dead and over 100 others injured, marking one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in Nigeria in recent years.

The ruling came after the DSS filed an ex-parte application before Justice Emeka Nwite. DSS counsel, Dr. C. S. Eze, argued that the sensitive nature of terrorism cases made it necessary to protect witnesses from potential threats.

Justice Nwite granted the request without objection, directing that the names and identities of prosecution witnesses remain confidential throughout the trial.

The five accused, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, are alleged to be members of an Al-Shabab cell based in Kogi State.

They were arraigned on August 11, 2025, on a nine-count terrorism charge filed by the DSS (case number FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025). The charges include belonging to a terrorist organization and carrying out the Owo attack in furtherance of extremist religious beliefs.

All five defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read in court.

With the protection order in place, the DSS is expected to present evidence and call witnesses under anonymity. Military and security leaders have praised the decision as essential for safeguarding witnesses in high-risk terrorism cases.