Odita Sunday 
Owo Church Massacre: DSS Witness Identifies Suspects as Survivors Recount Horrors in Court
AKURE – Dramatic scenes unfolded at the ongoing trial of five men accused of the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, as a key witness identified two of the defendants as active participants in the massacre.
The Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar for the assault that claimed over 40 lives and left scores injured.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, the second prosecution witness (PW2), whose identity was shielded for safety, pointed directly to Al Qasim Idris (the second defendant) and Abdulhaleem Idris (the fourth defendant) in the dock.
The witness testified that the attack began just as the Pentecost Sunday mass was concluding. He described a scene of pandemonium as gunmen entered the premises. According to the witness:
- Al Qasim Idris was identified as the man holding a firearm who beckoned another attacker to enter the church before opening fire on the congregation.
- Abdulhaleem Idris was identified as the individual carrying a bag over his shoulder while surveying the church to ensure no one was left alive before the gang retreated.
The witness recalled jumping through a window to escape, only to find the church filled with blood and the bodies of several congregants scattered near the fence and the neighboring palace.
A third witness, a female survivor labeled ‘SSC,’ moved the court to tears as she recounted how her leg was shattered by an explosive device. She described being trapped on the altar as a gunman dropped a dynamite next to her head, telling her, “You that are looking at me, you will die immediately.”
While she attempted to shift away, her left leg remained within the blast radius. She informed the court that she has undergone four surgeries and skin grafting, and currently has an iron rod in her leg to aid recovery. She also tragically recalled seeing the body of her two-year-old cousin, who was shot in the back of the head during the chaos.
Under cross-examination, it was revealed that 41 people died instantly in the attack, with over 100 others sustaining various degrees of injuries. The DSS presented statements made by the witnesses during the investigation, which were admitted as evidence.
The trial, led by prosecuting counsel Adedayo Adedipe (SAN), is set to continue on January 14, 2026, as the court seeks justice for the victims of the Owo massacre.
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