Olayiwola Matthew
The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday opened its case against five men accused of carrying out the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, in which over 40 worshippers were killed and more than 100 injured.
The defendants Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al-Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25) and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47) were arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The prosecution commenced trial by calling its first witness, a Catholic priest who presided over the Pentecost Sunday service on the day of the attack. His identity was withheld for security reasons.
Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), the priest recounted how the armed men struck towards the end of the mass.
He told the court that the attack began with a loud explosion followed by sporadic gunshots, causing chaos within the congregation.
“As the service was ending and the recessional hymn began, I heard a loud sound. Then I saw commotion in the church. Soon after, two men from our congregation locked the main entrance and an elder told me, ‘Father, we are under attack,’” he said.
The witness described the intensity of the assault, noting that at least three explosives were used, with one landing close to the safe room where he and several children had taken refuge.
He narrated how he assisted in evacuating injured worshippers, including his choir master who had been shot in the chest.
The priest said he could not determine the number of attackers due to the chaos, adding that his priority at the time was rescuing children and moving casualties to the hospital.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Abdullahi Mohammad, the witness maintained that he was unable to recognise or identify the assailants.
Earlier, the prosecution informed the court that the charge had been amended to correct minor errors. The amended charge was read to the defendants, who all pleaded not guilty.
Justice Nwite granted an application for accelerated hearing and adjourned the case to Jan. 13 and 14, 2026 for continuation.