Survivors of the deadly June 2022 attack on St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, a historic town in Ondo State, southwestern Nigeria, have continued to give emotional testimonies before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, as the terrorism trial against five accused persons progresses.
Okay News reports that two additional witnesses appeared before the court on Tuesday, offering detailed accounts of how the assault unfolded during a Sunday Mass service that marked the Christian Feast of Pentecost, one of the most important celebrations in the global Christian calendar.
The trial is being handled by Nigeria’s Department of State Services, the country’s domestic intelligence and security agency responsible for counterterrorism and internal security operations. The agency is prosecuting five defendants on an amended nine-count charge bordering on acts of terrorism. The accused persons are Idris Omeiza, aged twenty five; Al Qasim Idris, aged twenty; Jamiu Abdulmalik, aged twenty six; Abdulhaleem Idris, aged twenty five; and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, aged forty seven. All five defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The attack, which took place on Sunday, June 5, 2022, occurred inside St Francis Xavier Catholic Church while worshippers were gathered for Mass. Armed assailants reportedly entered the church premises, secured exits, opened fire on congregants, and detonated explosive devices, turning a place of worship into a scene of devastation.
At least forty one people were killed in the incident, while more than one hundred others sustained varying degrees of injuries. The attack remains one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in a religious setting in Nigeria’s recent history and continues to weigh heavily on the Owo community and the nation at large.
One of the witnesses, a male survivor identified in court as SSB, narrated how the attackers gained entry into the church after worshippers attempted to secure the main entrance.
“In a matter of seconds, I saw one man holding a gun. He looked at the church, then beckoned to someone behind him,” the witness told the court while responding to questions under cross examination.
SSB initially identified one of the defendants but later corrected himself after the accused person removed his face covering and stepped forward. He subsequently identified Al Qasim Idris as one of the attackers and also pointed out Abdulhaleem Idris as the individual carrying a bag while the assailants were preparing to leave the church premises.
The witness described hearing several loud explosions while gunshots rang out across the church. He explained that fear forced him to the ground as chaos spread.
“I fell on my face in fear. After the attackers left, I saw two dead bodies outside the church. More than 40 worshippers were killed while many others were injured,” he said.
A second witness, a female survivor identified as SSC, told the court that she survived the attack but sustained life changing injuries to her left leg. She explained that she was near one of the attackers when an explosive device was dropped close to her.
She recalled the gunman asking her, “Do you know why we are doing this?” moments before the explosion occurred.
The witness further told the court that she later saw the body of her two year old cousin among the victims. She explained that the child’s mother could not immediately identify her at the hospital due to the extent of the injuries and the dust caused by the explosion.
SSC displayed her injured leg before the court, stating that it had undergone four separate surgical operations and still contained metal implants as a result of the blast.
Both witnesses confirmed that they made formal statements to the Department of State Services at its Akure office, the capital of Ondo State, on Sunday, May 26, 2024. These extra judicial statements were admitted into evidence as Exhibits B and C without any objection from the defense counsel.
The Federal High Court has been conducting the trial over multiple sessions, with prosecutors presenting witness testimonies and physical exhibits aimed at establishing the identity of the attackers and reconstructing the sequence of events on the day of the assault.
Counsel to the Department of State Services, Adedayo Adedipe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, informed the court that the prosecution intends to call seven additional witnesses. He added that two of them are scheduled to testify at the next hearing, where further details about the planning and execution of the attack are expected to be revealed.
Presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, adjourned the matter until Wednesday, January 14, 2026, for the continuation of proceedings.
The Owo church attack has become a defining case in Nigeria’s ongoing fight against terrorism, highlighting persistent security challenges and the vulnerability of religious gatherings. For victims and their families, the trial represents a crucial step toward justice and accountability.
