Four men have been sentenced to death by a Nigerian court for their role in the 2022 massacre at a Catholic church in Owo, Ondo State. The attackers, linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), killed 40 worshippers during a Sunday service. Sources confirm the verdict was delivered on Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with Judge Binta Nyako reading the sentence to a packed courtroom. The four convicts – Idris Ojo, Adamu Adamu, Auwal Ishaq, and Salihu Ibrahim – were found guilty of terrorism, murder, and conspiracy. Two other accused were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
The attack, one of the deadliest on Christians in Nigeria, saw gunmen storm St. Francis Catholic Church, opening fire on congregants and detonating explosives. Survivors described scenes of chaos as worshippers tried to flee. “They came shooting without mercy. I saw my neighbour’s child die in front of me,” said Emmanuel Adewale, who lost his wife in the attack. The trial, which began in earnest in 2023, relied on confessions extracted from the accused, though defence lawyers argued they were coerced. “My clients were tortured into signing statements they did not understand,” claimed defence counsel Jibrin Isah. Judge Nyako, however, ruled the evidence admissible.
The sentence marks a rare instance of capital punishment in Nigeria’s struggle with Islamist insurgency. Since 2009, Boko Haram and its splinter factions have killed over 350,000 people, with impunity rife among both militants and security forces. “This verdict is a drop in an ocean of blood,” said Amina Yusuf, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer. “But for the families of Owo, it is a first taste of justice.”
The government hailed the ruling as a victory against terrorism. “Our message is clear: anyone who spills innocent blood will pay with their own,” said Justice Minister Abubakar Malami. Yet doubts linger over enforcement. Nigeria has not carried out an execution since 2016, and death sentences routinely languish on appeal for years. “The state cannot even protect witnesses in these cases,” noted a security analyst who declined to be named for fear of reprisal. “Sentences mean little when judges are bribed and jailbreaks are common.”
Uncovered documents reveal that the convicts were originally arrested in 2022 during a raid on an ISWAP camp in the Sambisa Forest. Their trial was held under the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, which allows for closed sessions and secret evidence. Human rights groups have criticised the process for lacking transparency. “We don’t know how the confessions were obtained or who the other accused were,” said Amnesty International’s Nigeria director, Osai Ojigho. Still, for the Catholic community in Owo, the verdict brings some solace. “We have waited two years for this,” said Father Victor Ogunyemi, whose parish lost seven members. “Now let them face God’s judgment.”
The case highlights a deeper crisis: the failure of Nigeria’s security apparatus to protect civilians. In the weeks before the attack, intelligence reports had warned of a planned assault on churches. No action was taken. “The government knew and did nothing,” said a former intelligence officer who spoke on condition of anonymity. “They are too busy fighting political battles to fight terrorists.”
As the convicts await appeal, the question remains whether this verdict will deter future massacres. “They kill because they believe they can get away with it,” said Yusuf. “Until the state proves otherwise, innocent blood will keep flowing.”
