Two additional witnesses on Tuesday testified before the Federal High Court in Abuja in the ongoing trial of five men accused of masterminding the deadly attack on St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, on 5 June 2022.
During the proceedings, the Department of State Services (DSS) also tendered additional documentary exhibits, which the trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, admitted without objection from the defence.
The five defendants are standing trial on a nine-count amended charge bordering on terrorism and related offences. They are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47). All the defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them at their arraignment.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecution called two witnesses, identified only as SSB and SSC, for security reasons. The witnesses gave harrowing accounts of how the assailants attacked worshippers during Sunday Mass at the Catholic church.
One of the witnesses, a female student from Anambra State identified as SSB, told the court that the attackers forced their way into the church, locked the main entrance, and immediately opened fire on congregants, including worshippers seated in the choir gallery. She recounted that chaos broke out as people attempted to flee, but were trapped inside the building.
The witness further narrated that an explosive device was placed close to her head after she raised her face while one of the attackers was speaking. She said she narrowly managed to move away before the device detonated, sustaining serious injuries in the process.
With the permission of the court, the witness displayed her injured left leg, explaining that she had undergone four surgeries since the attack and that metal implants were still fixed in the limb. She added that a two-year-old relative who was with her during the incident was shot from behind and died instantly.
The second prosecution witness corroborated her testimony, stating that shortly after the attackers left the scene, about 40 worshippers were counted dead. He also told the court that the church building was bombed three times, resulting in extensive destruction.
Both witnesses confirmed under cross-examination that they were later invited to the DSS’s Akure office, where they voluntarily made statements on 26 May 2024. Their extra-judicial statements were subsequently admitted in evidence as Exhibits B and C, following the defence’s decision not to object.
At the close of proceedings, counsel to the DSS, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), informed the court that the prosecution intended to call seven additional witnesses. However, only two would testify at the next hearing. Defence counsel, Abdullahi Auwal Mohammed, appeared on behalf of the five defendants.
Justice Nwite adjourned the case until 14 January to continue the trial. The court recalled that a Catholic priest, also identified as SSA, had testified earlier on 11 December 2025 as the first prosecution witness in the matter.
