How Owo Church Attack Was Planned

DSS Reveals How Owo Church Attack Was Planned
Five suspects accused of belonging to terror cell.
Court adjourned for defence cross examination Wednesday.

A lead investigator with the Department of State Services on Tuesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church was carefully planned days before it was carried out.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the witness, who testified behind a protective shield and identified himself only as “SSI,” said he is the Deputy Director in charge of Terrorism Investigation at the DSS.

More than 40 worshippers were reported killed and over 100 injured when gunmen stormed the church during Pentecost Sunday service in Owo, Ondo State.

Testifying as the ninth prosecution witness, the operative said the attack was planned at a meeting held on May 30, 2022, at a Government Secondary School in Ogaminana, Kogi State. He alleged that a terror leader identified as Odoba directed that the Catholic Church in Owo be attacked on a Sunday and that the priest in charge be killed.

According to him, a holistic investigation led to the arrest of five suspects now facing a nine count charge marked FHC ABJ CR 301 2025. The defendants are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar. They are accused of belonging to the Al Shabab terrorist group operating a cell in Kogi State.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Ayodeji Adedipe SAN, the witness said intelligence gathering resulted in the suspects’ arrest in August 2022 in Kogi and Ondo states.

He told the court that weapons including five AK 47 rifles, magazines, ammunition and explosive devices were allegedly supplied for the operation. The group was also said to have mounted surveillance around the church before the attack.