Abuja Court Hears 2022 Owo Church Attack Case
Abuja Court Hears 2022 Owo Church Attack Case
Proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday brought fresh details about the 2022 Owo church attack, as a Department of State Services operative described how the assault was allegedly planned and executed.
The witness, identified only as SSI for security reasons, told the court he led the counter-terrorism probe into the June 5, 2022 massacre at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. The attack left more than 40 worshippers dead and over 100 injured, shocking the nation and drawing global condemnation.
The DSS is prosecuting five suspects over the incident. They are facing terrorism-related charges linked to the deadly assault. According to the prosecution, intelligence gathering and technical surveillance led to their arrest in August 2022 in parts of Kogi and Ondo states.
Testifying before Justice Emeka Nwite, the operative said investigations indicated the defendants were linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province, a banned extremist group. He alleged that the group was operating in some communities under a local coordinator.
The court heard that a meeting was allegedly held on May 30, 2022, at a secondary school in Ogaminana, where instructions were said to have been issued to attack the Catholic church in Owo. The witness stated that the directive was for the strike to take place on a Sunday, when worshippers would be gathered for service.
Further preparations reportedly followed. The operative said one of the accused hired a vehicle a day before the attack and obtained weapons, including AK-47 rifles and improvised explosive devices. He added that the suspects allegedly rehearsed and spent the night together before carrying out the operation.
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On the morning of June 5, the group allegedly travelled to Owo in a hired vehicle with weapons concealed in sacks. The witness told the court they opened fire inside and outside the church premises and detonated explosives, targeting worshippers as they attempted to flee. Several victims later died at the Federal Medical Centre in Owo.
The trial continues as the Abuja court examines evidence surrounding one of Nigeria’s deadliest church attacks in recent years, a case that remains central to the country’s fight against terrorism.
Content Credit: Amosun Azeez
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