Five alleged members of the Al Shabab terrorist group involved in the June 5, 2022, attack at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, in Ondo State, on Tuesday, applied to be released from detention.

The defendants- Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar- who are facing a nine-count terrorism charge, prayed the Federal High Court in Abuja to order their release from custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, pending the conclusion of their trial.

The application came on a day the court, in a ruling that was delivered by trial Justice Emeka Nwite, gave the Federal Government the nod to shield identities of witnesses that will testify against the defendants.

FG had in the charge that is being prosecuted by the DSS, alleged that it was the defendants that masterminded the attack on the church, which led to the death of over 40 persons and left over 100 others injured.

In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025, the defendants, who allegedly belong to Al Shabab terrorist cell located in Kogi state, attacked the worshipers with IEDs and AK 47 rifles, in furtherance of their religious ideology.

However, the accused quintet pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them before the court on August 11.

At the resumed proceeding on Tuesday, the prosecution counsel, Dr. Calistus Eze, drew the attention of the court to an ex-parte application that was filed to protect the witnesses from possible attacks after their testimonies.

He stressed that in view of the sensitive nature of the case, there was need to mask identities of the witnesses.

Following a no-objection stance by the defendants, Justice Nwite ordered that names and identities of the witnesses should not be disclosed during the trial.

On his part, counsel to the defendants, Mr. Abdullahi Muhammad, also brought the attention of the court to his clients’ request for bail.

He told the court that the defendants were ready to produce reliable and responsible persons that would stand as their sureties, assuring that they would be available to face their trial.

The application was vehemently opposed by the prosecution which insisted that the defendants posed a flight risk.

FG’s lawyer, Dr. Eze, contended that the gravity of the charge and the possible outcome of the trial, was enough to motivate the defendants to jump bail and escape from the country.

He, therefore, urged the court to refuse the application and order accelerated hearing of the case.

After he had listened to both sides, Justice Nwite, who is sitting as a vacation judge of the court, adjourned the matter to rule on the application.

Meanwhile, FG disclosed to the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has issued a fiat for a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Mr. Adedeji Adedipe, to lead the prosecution team.

The court had earlier ordered the DSS to grant the defendants access to their lawyers and family members to enable them to effectively prepare their defence to the charge against them.

Some of the counts in the charge against the defendants, read: “That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar adults, males, with others still at large, sometime in 2021, did join and became members of AL Shabab Terrorist Group, with cell in Kogi State and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 25(1) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 30th May, 2022; 37 June, 2022 and 4 June, 2022, at Government Secondary School, Ogamirana, Adavi LGA, Kogi State and behind Omialafa Central Mosque, Ose LGA, Ondo State, respectively, attended and held meetings, where you agreed to and planned for the terrorist attack, which you carried out on 5™ June, 2022, at St. Francs Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(a) of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 05/06/2022, at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, with intent to further your religious ideology and while armed with IEDs and AK 47 rifles, did attack worshippers, held them hostage and in the process, caused grievous bodily harm to over 100 persons, including Onileke Ayodele, John Blessing, Nselu Esther and Ogungbade Peter and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 24(2)(a) of the same Act.

“That you, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, adults, males, with others still at large, on 05/06/2022, had in your possession IEDs and AK 47 rifles, with which you attacked worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, held them hostage, killed over 40 persons and caused grievous bodily harm to over 100 persons and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2(1)(2) and (3)(v) and punishable under Section 24(1) and (2) of TPPA, 2022.”