DSS Vows Justice in Owo, Benue Terror Cases

Agency says over 100 terror suspects are on trial nationwide.

The Department of State Services (DSS) says several high-profile terrorism suspects are currently facing trial across Nigeria. The agency said this is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen national security and ensure justice for victims of attacks.

According to the DSS, five men are being prosecuted over the June 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, where over 40 people were killed and dozens injured. Another group of suspects is also being tried for the June 2025 Yelwata massacre in Benue State, which claimed several lives.

The agency said the trials are a clear signal that terrorism will not go unpunished.

Owo church attack suspects face nine-count charge

The Owo attack suspects, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja. They face a nine-count charge bordering on terrorism and membership of a banned group, Al-Shabab, with ties to Kogi State.

Justice Emeka Nwite refused their bail request, ruling that the offences were capital in nature and that the defendants might flee. The DSS said strong evidence linked the accused to the planning and execution of the deadly church attack.

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Top Ansaru leaders also on trial

The DSS also said Mahmud Usman and Abubakar Abba, alleged leaders of the Ansaru terrorist group, are being tried in Abuja on a 32-count charge, including terrorism financing and illegal mining. Usman has already been sentenced to 15 years on one of the charges, while Abba pleaded not guilty.

Another high-profile suspect, Khalid Al-Barnawi, the alleged mastermind of the 2011 UN building bombing in Abuja, is facing trial with four accomplices.

In Benue State, suspects linked to the Yelwata and Abinsi attacks are also facing terrorism charges. Nine of them were arraigned in August, while others remain at large.

DSS Director-General Tosin Ajayi said the prosecutions show the agency’s commitment to enforcing accountability. “We shall continue to make suspects accountable for disrupting the peace of our country, in consonance with the rule of law,” he said.

He noted that 125 terrorists have already been convicted since last year, while others remain in custody pending trial.