A witness from the Department of State Services (DSS) has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the men accused of carrying out the June 5, 2022 massacre at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, were carefully funded, armed and mobilised before the deadly attack.
The witness, who identified himself only as “SSI” for security reasons, said the suspects did not act on impulse but followed specific instructions from a coordinator linked to the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP), a banned terrorist organisation. He explained that intelligence gathered by the DSS showed that meetings were held days before the attack, weapons were supplied, and money was distributed to support the operation.
Testifying before Justice Emeka Nwite on Tuesday, the DSS operative said he led the counter-terrorism investigation into the incident, which left more than 40 worshippers dead and over 100 injured. According to him, his team was tasked with uncovering the identities of the attackers, their sponsors, and how the operation was planned and executed.
The DSS is prosecuting five defendants: Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar. They are facing a nine-count charge related to terrorism and the attack.
Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel Ayodeji Adedipe, the witness told the court that intelligence operations and technical tracking led to the arrest of the suspects in August 2022. The arrests were made in Kogi and Ondo states. Those apprehended included Al-Qasim Idris and his brother Abdulhaleem Idris, as well as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza and his brother Jamiu Abdulmalik. Momoh Otuho Abubakar was identified as the fifth defendant.
According to the witness, investigations revealed that the accused persons were members of ISWAP operating around Okene and Adavi in Kogi State and parts of Ose Local Government Area in Ondo State. He said the group was coordinated by a man known as “Odoba,” who allegedly directed the attack.
The court heard that on May 30, 2022, a meeting was held at Government Secondary School, Ogaminana, in Kogi State. During the meeting, Odoba allegedly instructed the group to attack the Catholic church in Owo on a Sunday and specifically ordered them to kill the priest.
Further meetings were reportedly held in Omilafia, where final preparations were made. The witness said Abdulhaleem Idris travelled to Adavi on June 4 to hire a vehicle for the operation and also
