Catholic Church: Owo Massacre Was Planned In Kogi – DSS Shares Fresh Details

A lead investigator with the Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja how the June 5, 2022 terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, was carefully planned.

The witness, who testified behind a protective shield and identified himself only by the initials “SSI,” said he is the Deputy Director in charge of Terrorism Investigation at the DSS.

Ondopress recalls that over 40 worshippers were reported killed and more than 100 others injured when gunmen stormed the church during Pentecost Sunday service.

Testifying as the ninth prosecution witness in the trial, the DSS operative disclosed that the attack was planned during a meeting held on May 30, 2022, at a Government Secondary School in Ogaminana, Kogi State.

According to him, the meeting was coordinated by a terror leader identified as Odoba, who allegedly issued a direct order that the Catholic Church in Owo be attacked.

“The directive was clear,” the witness said. “The church was to be attacked on a Sunday and the priest in charge killed.”

He told the court that the DSS conducted what he described as a “holistic investigation,” which eventually led to the arrest of five suspects now standing trial.

The defendants in the nine-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/301/2025 are: Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar.

They were accused of belonging to the Al Shabab terrorist group, allegedly operating a cell in Kogi State.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), the witness said his team was assigned to uncover the perpetrators of the attack, identify their sponsors and determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

‎He said intelligence gathered during the investigation led to the arrest of the defendants in August 2022 in Kogi and Ondo states.
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Weapons Supplied, Surveillance Mounted

Giving further details, the witness said one of the defendants, Idris, attended the planning meeting alongside other alleged members of the group at Ogaminana, where they were briefed on Odoba’s instruction.

He added that another meeting was later held on a Friday after Jumaat prayers at a mosque where the father of the second and third defendants served as Chief Imam.

According to the witness, Idris subsequently travelled to Adavi in Kogi State, hired a Volkswagen Golf vehicle and met with Odoba, who allegedly supplied five AK-47 rifles, 10 magazines, live ammunition and explosive devices for the operation.

Members of the group, he said, later stayed in Idris’ room where they finalised arrangements and received lessons on handling weapons and precautions to take during the attack.

The court also heard that Idris provided his father’s motorcycle to Mohammed and Abdullahi, said to have travelled from the North to participate in the attack, to enable them mount surveillance around the church.

The witness told the court that on June 5, 2022, the fourth defendant and another suspect identified as Kabiru, who is currently at large, arrived in a Volkswagen Golf car conveying the weapons concealed in a sack.

He said while the arms were being offloaded in front of the church, a hawker noticed the suspects but was prevented from raising the alarm.

According to him, the attackers also snatched a Nissan vehicle belonging to a member of the Deeper Life Church who was driving along the route.

“In the ensuing chaos, they proceeded to the Catholic Church and started shooting sporadically,” the witness stated.

Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned further proceedings until Wednesday to allow defence counsel to cross-examine the witness.