An Abuja Federal High Court has ordered that five individuals accused of carrying out a deadly attack on a church in Owo, Ondo State, be held in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS).
The five men were arraigned on Monday in connection with the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, which resulted in the deaths of more than 40 worshippers and left over 100 injured.
The suspects, Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, pleaded not guilty to the nine-count charge brought against them by the federal government.
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The charges, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, allege that the men are members of the AL Shabab terrorist group and planned and executed the attack.
The trial is set to begin on August 19.
During the court session, the defence lawyer, Abdullahi Muhammad, requested that the defendants be granted access to their lawyers and family members, noting they had been held since 2022 without such contact.
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The judge, Emeka Nwite, granted the request and ordered that the suspects remain in SSS custody until the next hearing.
