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Court Approves DSS Request To Protect Witnesses In Owo Church Attack Trial
The Federal High Court in Abuja has approved the Department of State Services’ (DSS) request to protect the identities of witnesses in the trial of five suspected Al-Shabaab terrorists linked to the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which left over 40 worshippers dead and more than 100 injured. Justice Emeka Nwite granted the order on Tuesday following an ex parte application filed and argued by DSS counsel, Dr. C. S. Eze.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Eze told the court that terrorism-related cases are highly sensitive and pose significant security risks to witnesses. He emphasized that safeguarding witnesses was crucial to ensure the trial proceeded without intimidation or harm to those willing to testify.
Noting that the defence did not oppose the application, Justice Nwite directed that the DSS must withhold the names and identities of witnesses providing evidence in the trial.
The defendants—Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar—were arraigned on August 11, 2025, on a nine-count terrorism charge under case number FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025. According to the DSS, the men are alleged members of an Al-Shabaab cell operating in Kogi State and are accused of carrying out the Owo church massacre as part of an extremist religious agenda.
The June 2022 attack shocked the nation when assailants stormed St. Francis Catholic Church during Sunday mass, detonating explosives and opening fire on worshippers. The attack claimed over 40 lives and left more than 100 others injured, drawing widespread national and international condemnation. The Ondo State Government and the Catholic Church described it as an assault on humanity.
Upon the reading of the charges, all five defendants pleaded not guilty. The trial is set to continue in Abuja under heightened security, with the DSS now mandated by the court to protect the identities of its witnesses.
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, says the state has mapped out 22,435 hectares of degraded land for restoration under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project using modern geospatial mapping technology.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
He said the initiative is part of efforts to strengthen climate resilience, tackle environmental degradation, and promote sustainable land use in the state.
Speaking at the ACReSAL mid-term review meeting in Kaduna through the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Abubakar Buba, the governor explained that the use of geospatial tools has made it possible to accurately identify affected areas for targeted intervention.
He added that the project is not only focused on land recovery but also on boosting agricultural output and improving livelihoods in affected communities.
Sani also noted that the state is supporting the programme with empowerment initiatives, including training over 500 women, youths, and school feeding vendors in biomass briquette production.
According to him, the effort is already helping to reduce dependence on firewood while creating alternative sources of income for beneficiaries.
President Tinubu has given full backing for the implementation of the ₦68.32 trillion 2026 budget after signing the Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly into law.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
He also approved an amendment extending the lifespan of the 2025 budget from March 31 to June 30, 2026, to ensure completion of ongoing capital projects nationwide.
Under the 2026 fiscal plan, ₦4.799 trillion is set aside for statutory transfers, ₦15.8 trillion for debt servicing, ₦15.4 trillion for recurrent spending, while ₦32.2 trillion goes to capital projects—about half of the total budget.
The focus, according to the administration, is on infrastructure development, security, and growth-driven investments aimed at improving living standards.
Speaking on the development, presidential aide Bayo Onanuga said the extension of the 2025 budget will help ensure full use of allocated funds, especially for major ongoing projects.
Tinubu directed all ministries, departments, and agencies to ensure transparency, discipline, and value-for-money in implementing the budget, while praising the National Assembly for its swift passage of the bill.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to economic reforms, revenue growth, job creation, and social welfare improvements.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has described moves to prosecute former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed over alleged culpable homicide as an attempt to reopen the 2018 Offa robbery tragedy for political purposes.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
In a statement on Friday, the party’s spokesperson, Olusegun Adewara, said the development is a disturbing and dangerous politicisation of a case they claim has already been addressed through judicial processes.
He warned against dragging the state into fresh tension, accusing the state government of attempting to revive old allegations for political advantage.
Adewara said the PDP would not remain silent while what he called “political narratives” are used to influence public perception around a tragic incident that claimed multiple lives in Offa in 2018.
He also urged residents, especially affected families, not to allow their pain to be used for political gains, insisting it is unjust to associate Saraki with the crime.
The party further alleged that the move is aimed at distracting attention from governance challenges in the state.
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