Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday opened its case against five men accused of executing the deadly June 5, 2022 assault on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State — a brutal attack that left over 40 worshippers, including more than 14 children and adults, dead and injured more than 100 others.
Arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, were Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al-Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25) and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47). All five suspects pleaded not guilty after an amended charge was read to them.
To begin its case, the prosecution called its first witness — a Catholic priest who led the Pentecost Sunday service moments before gunmen stormed the sanctuary. For his safety, the court withheld his identity.
Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), the priest painted a harrowing picture of how a peaceful mass suddenly turned into a bloodbath.
He testified that the attack began just as the choir launched into the recessional hymn.
> “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.
According to him, multiple explosions rocked the church.
He recalled that at least three improvised devices went off — one of them landing dangerously close to the safe room where he had sheltered with several children.
The priest described helping carry victims to safety, including his choir master who had been shot in the chest.
He told the court he could not identify how many attackers invaded the church or recognise any of their faces, stressing that his focus at the time was on “rescuing children and moving casualties to the hospital.”
During cross-examination, defence lawyer Abdullahi Mohammad questioned his ability to identify the perpetrators, but the priest insisted he could not recognise anyone amid the chaos, smoke and gunfire.
Earlier, the prosecution notified the court that the charge sheet had been amended to address minor errors. The defendants maintained their plea of not guilty.
Justice Nwite granted an application for an accelerated hearing and adjourned the case to January 13 and 14, 2026, when more witnesses will take the stand.
