Emotions ran high on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja as two more prosecution witnesses gave painful, first-hand accounts of the deadly June 5, 2022 attack on St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. The court also admitted additional exhibits tendered by the Department of State Services (DSS) as the terrorism trial continued.
The DSS is prosecuting five suspects — Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar — on amended nine-count terrorism charges. All five defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.
The attack happened during Sunday Mass on the Feast of Pentecost, when gunmen stormed the church, shut the main entrance and launched a coordinated assault on worshippers. The incident claimed at least 41 lives and left more than 100 people injured, sending shockwaves through Owo and the entire country.
One of the witnesses, identified in court as SSB, calmly but painfully narrated how the violence unfolded. He told the court that after worshippers tried to secure the main door, the attackers forced their way in through another entrance. Within seconds, gunfire erupted, followed by loud explosions that threw the church into chaos.
SSB explained how fear overwhelmed him as shots rang out and people fell around him. He told the court he saw lifeless bodies outside the church after the attackers fled, adding that many worshippers were either killed or badly injured. During his testimony, he identified some of the defendants as the men he saw during the attack, correcting himself when necessary as he got a clearer view in court.
Another witness, a woman identified as SSC, broke down as she recounted surviving the attack with permanent injuries to her left leg. She described the terror of seeing explosives dropped near her and the lasting pain she has endured since that day. She told the court she had undergone four surgeries and still has metal implants in her leg.
In one of the most emotional moments, SSC recalled seeing the body of her two-year-old cousin, whose injuries were so severe that her own mother struggled to recognise her at the hospital. She showed her injured leg to the court, a silent reminder of the long-term impact of the attack.
Both witnesses confirmed that they gave statements to the DSS in Akure in May 2024. Their statements were admitted into evidence without objection from the defence.
DSS counsel, Adedayo Adedipe (SAN), told the court that the prosecution would call seven more witnesses to further explain how the attack was planned and carried out. Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the case to January 14, 2026, for continuation of the trial.
The Owo church attack remains one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in a place of worship in Nigeria. As the trial progresses, it continues to reopen deep wounds for survivors and families, while also serving as a crucial step toward justice and accountability.
