Fresh details emerged on Wednesday at the Federal High Court during the trial of five men accused of participating in the June 5, 2022, terrorist attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, as prosecution witnesses identified suspected attackers and gave harrowing accounts of survival.
The Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47) over the deadly assault that claimed dozens of lives during a Pentecost Sunday mass.
Witness Identifies Two Defendants
Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel Adedayo Adedipe (SAN), the second prosecution witness (PW2), whose identity was shielded for security reasons, identified Al Qasim Idris (second defendant) and Abdulhaleem Idris (fourth defendant) as among the attackers he saw inside the church.
The witness, a church member present during the service, told the court that the attack occurred just as the mass was drawing to a close.
“We heard a gunshot outside the church, followed by another at the gate. Then pandemonium broke out. People were running in different directions as gunshots rang inside the compound,” he said.
He narrated how members of the church’s security team attempted to lock the doors as gunmen advanced.
“Within seconds, I saw a man holding a gun. He surveyed the church and beckoned to someone behind him to come forward,” the witness testified.
Initially pointing at the fifth defendant, the witness later corrected himself after the court ordered the defendant to remove his face mask and move closer. He then firmly identified Al Qasim Idris as the armed man.
Despite objections from defence counsel Abdullahi Mohammad, Justice Emeka Nwite overruled the challenge, ruling that the credibility of the witness should be tested during cross-examination.
The witness later identified Abdulhaleem Idris as the attacker who carried a bag and retreated with others after the explosions.
He described multiple explosions, gunfire directed at the choir gallery and altar area, and the moment the attackers appeared to believe everyone inside had been killed.
According to him, more than 40 worshippers were killed, while many others sustained severe injuries, including amputations.
“When I visited the church two days later, the building was badly damaged and filled with blood everywhere,” he said.
Female Survivor Shows Injured Leg in Court
The third prosecution witness, a female identified as ‘SSC’, gave an emotional account of how she narrowly escaped death but sustained permanent injuries to her left leg.
She told the court that confusion set in after the first gunshots until an elderly woman beside her was killed.
“I was still seated when the choir president grabbed me and dragged me toward the altar. We lay down on the floor when the gunmen climbed the altar,” she said.
She recalled how one of the attackers dropped an explosive device beside her head after threatening her.
“I did not know my left leg was still close to the dynamite. It exploded and shattered my leg,” she said.
In a dramatic moment, the witness stepped down from the witness box to show the court her damaged leg, confirming the injuries caused by the explosion.
She also narrated the trauma of seeing her two-year-old cousin shot dead and her mother initially failing to recognise her at the hospital due to dust and injuries from the blast.
The witness said her leg had undergone four surgeries, skin grafting, and now contains metal implants. She added that she is still on medication.
She testified that 41 people died instantly, while over 100 others sustained injuries, figures she said were confirmed through burial records.
Trial Continues
Both witnesses confirmed making statements to the DSS during investigations at its Akure office. The statements were admitted into evidence by the court.
Justice Nwite adjourned proceedings for the continuation of the trial.