A high-ranking Department of State Services (DSS) official delivered a harrowing courtroom account of the June 5, 2022, terrorist assault on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, where 41 worshippers were killed and 140 injured in a brazen attack linked to an outlawed Islamist group.
Testifying as the ninth prosecution witness under the security code SSI, the DSS Deputy Director in charge of Terrorism Investigation detailed how his team, upon receiving intelligence, arrested five suspects; Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Quasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuhuo Abubakar in August 2022 across Kogi and Ondo states.
The witness revealed that the suspects were members of Al-Shabab, an arm of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), a banned terrorist organization. He described a pivotal planning meeting on May 30, 2022, at Government Secondary School in Ogaminana, Kogi State, where a leader named Odoba instructed the group to target the church on a Sunday and specifically kill the priest.
“Al-Quasim Idris, who was part of the meeting, returned to Omilafia and Omilenge where others operating as Al-Shabab members were briefed on the meeting at Ogaminana in Kogi state,” the witness testified.
Further meetings followed, including one after Friday Jumaat prayers led by the father of the second and third defendants, who served as Chief Imam. On Saturday, Abdulhaleem Idris allegedly hired a Volkswagen Golf car in Adavi, obtained five AK-47 rifles, magazines, ammunition, and explosives from Odoba, and hosted the group for weapons training and precautions.
The attack unfolded on June 5, with the suspects along with a fugitive named Kabiru transporting weapons in a sack to the church site. A hawker who spotted them was silenced, and chaos ensued when they hijacked a Nissan from a Deeper Life Church member before storming the Catholic sanctuary, firing indiscriminately.
“40 people were instantly killed and about 140 others received various degrees of injuries,” the witness stated, noting victims were rushed to Federal Medical Centre and St. Louis Hospital in Owo.
Justice Emeka Nwite admitted exhibits including the DSS investigation report, autopsy findings, victim photos, and death certificates signed by Dr. Ayodeji O.O. The court adjourned to February 18 for cross-examination of the witness by defense counsel.
