Owo church attack

On 5 June 2022, a mass shooting and bomb attack occurred at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria, during Pentecost Sunday Mass. The attack began around 11:30 AM local time when a group of gunmen disguised as congregants entered the church carrying bags containing firearms, while another group took positions outside. Improvised explosive devices were detonated outside the church as both groups opened fire on worshippers. Gunmen inside shot people trying to reach exits, including a boy selling candy at the entrance; the main entrance was locked, trapping many inside. Passersby outside the church were also struck by gunfire. The attackers fled the scene in a stolen Nissan Sunny. Two police officers were killed during the attack.

Casualty estimates varied significantly across sources. Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency reported at least 22 dead and 58 injured on 7 June, later revising the toll to at least 40 dead on 9 June, with 61 injured survivors still hospitalized; one additional victim later died of injuries. At least five children were confirmed killed. Some witnesses, local officials, and a doctor cited higher figures, with estimates ranging above 50, and one local official estimating between 70 and 100 deaths. U.S. intelligence sources cited by ABC News reportedly estimated more than 80 deaths, with one source citing 82 bodies at a local morgue. Some victims were taken directly by families for private burial, complicating an exact count.

The attack drew widespread condemnation. Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu called it "vile and satanic," and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari described it as a "heinous attack on worshippers." Pope Francis offered prayers for victims. The response by Buhari's government was criticized as inadequate, particularly after he was seen attending a party hours after the attack. A state funeral for victims was held on 17 June, during which Akeredolu acknowledged responsibility for security failures, and Bishop Jude Arogundade criticized the government's handling of security and terrorism.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack. Some local Yoruba residents accused Hausa and Fulani herdsmen groups of involvement, while the Nigerian federal government stated on 9 June that it believed Islamic State – West Africa Province (ISWAP) was responsible; Akeredolu called this attribution "too hasty." Police recovered undetonated improvised explosive devices and AK-47 shell casings at the scene. Nigerian security forces announced multiple arrests in the following months, including individuals alleged to be linked to ISWAP.

Although the federal government's initial suspicion had centered on ISWAP — an attribution the state governor called "too hasty" — the eventual prosecutions targeted suspects authorities linked to Al-Shabaab. A trial for five such suspects, charged with terrorism offenses connected to Al-Shabaab, was scheduled to begin in Abuja in August 2025 but was postponed after a prosecution request. On 3 June 2026, a federal court sentenced four of the defendants to death for their roles in the attack, while a fifth defendant was acquitted.