|By Chinwendu Nwani
A top officer of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday provided a harrowing account of how the June 5, 2022, terror attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, was meticulously planned and executed, leaving 41 people dead and 140 others injured.
The witness, a Deputy Director in charge of Terrorism Investigation who led the DSS team probing the attack, testified as prosecution witness number nine under the security code SSI. He told the Federal High Court in Abuja that upon receiving intelligence on the attack, his team was tasked with identifying the perpetrators, uncovering their sponsors, and understanding the circumstances behind the tragedy.
He revealed that DSS operatives arrested five suspects in August 2022 across Kogi and Ondo states. The arrested individuals were named as Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Quasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar. Investigations indicated that they were members of Al-Shabab, a faction of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), a proscribed terrorist organization.
The witness narrated that the defendants, under the direction of a man known as Odoba, convened on May 30, 2022, at Government Secondary School, Ogaminana, Kogi State. Odoba allegedly instructed them to attack the church on a Sunday and specifically target the presiding priest. Al Quasim Idris reportedly relayed the instructions to other Al-Shabab members in Omilafia and Omilenge.
Further meetings were held after Jumaat prayers, led by the Chief Imam, father to the second and third defendants, to brief members on the Owo operation. The witness said that on the Saturday preceding the attack, Abdulhaleem Idris hired a Volkswagen Golf, which was later used to transport weapons supplied by Odoba, including five AK-47 rifles, ten magazines, live ammunition, and explosive devices. The suspects underwent orientation on weapons handling and safety precautions before the attack.
On June 5, 2022, the terrorists executed their plan. They were transported in the Volkswagen Golf, weapons concealed in a sack. The witness recounted that a hawker noticed the suspects unloading the weapons but was prevented from raising the alarm. Chaos erupted when they snatched a car belonging to a Deeper Life Church member, after which the attackers stormed the Catholic Church, firing indiscriminately both outside and inside the sanctuary.
The assault claimed 40 lives immediately, with around 140 others sustaining injuries. Victims were rushed to Federal Medical Center, Owo, and St. Louis Hospital, Owo, for treatment.
During the proceedings, Justice Emeka Nwite admitted several exhibits, including the DSS investigation report, autopsy report, photographs of the victims, and a death report signed by Dr. Ayodeji O.O. The court adjourned until February 18 for the cross-examination of the witness by the defendants’ counsel.
