The Department of State Services has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to deny bail to five men standing trial over their alleged involvement in the June 5, 2022, terror attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, which left about 40 worshippers dead and over 100 injured.
The DSS, in a counter-affidavit to the defendants’ bail application, warned that the men had alleged ties to foreign terrorist fighters linked to the Al-Shabab group and could abscond if released.
The defendants are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47).
They were arraigned on August 11 on nine counts, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025, bordering on terrorism.
The DSS argued that granting bail would endanger the safety of witnesses and compromise the trial.
It said: “There is a very high likelihood of defendants evading trial in view of their connection to foreign fighters linked to Al-Shabab terrorist group. The defendants’ accomplices are still at large and have been making frantic efforts to monitor their trial, intimidate witnesses and free the defendants from lawful custody.”
The DSS disclosed that it was “currently investigating the leads with a view to apprehending those individuals, planning to intimidate witnesses and compromise the trial in the interest of the applicants.
“The prosecution witnesses have expressed fears of attacks by defendants’ cohorts and have stated that they will not attend court sessions except their fears are allayed.
“This necessitated the filing of an ex parte application for witness protection.
“The prosecution has demonstrated readiness for a speedy trial of the substantive charge.
The defendants have not presented any evidence to show that they have credible sureties.
“It will not be in the interest of justice and security of prosecution witnesses to grant the application for bail,” the DSS said.
Defence lawyer, Abdullahi Mohammad, had, while moving the bail application on Tuesday, noted that his client’s had been in custody since they were arrested in 2022.
Mohammad said his clients were ready to present credible and reliable sureties to demonstrate their willingness to stand trial.
Prosecuting lawyer, Dr. Calistus Eze, however, urged the court to reject the bail application for being unmeritorious.
Eze stated that there are ongoing threats to would-be witnesses of the prosecution, which the defence lawyer was aware of.
After taking arguments from both lawyers, Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned till September 10 for ruling on the bail application.
Earlier at the commencement of proceedings, Eze told the court that although the case was scheduled for Tuesday for the prosecution to open its case, it would not be able to proceed because the DSS had handed the case to a senior lawyer, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), to lead the prosecuting team.
Eze prayed the court for an adjornment to a later date before which the DSS would have processed the necessary fiat from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to enable Adedipe to fully take over the handling of the case.
Mohammad did not object to Eze’s request for an adjornment. He also did not object to another application by Eze, seeking the protection of the identity and other personal particulars of the prosecution’s witnesses.
In the application, the prosecution prayed the court to issue an order to protect the identity and other personal particulars of the prosecution witnesses and an order allowing the prosecution witnesses to testify while hooded and veiled off from the view of all other individuals except the counsel on both sides.
The prosecution also urged the court to issue an order to prevent the mentioning of the real names of prosecution’s witnesses in its orders, judgments or records which are accesibie to the public, and an order allowing witnesses should be identified with a combination of some alphabets.
In a brief ruling, Justice Nwite granted the application.
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