The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday opened its case against five suspects accused of the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which killed over 40 worshippers and injured more than 100.
The suspects, Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47)—face prosecution at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The trial began with the DSS calling its first prosecution witness, a Catholic priest who led the Pentecost Sunday service on the day of the attack. For security reasons, his identity was withheld.
Presiding over the service, the priest recounted the moment chaos erupted. “Towards the end of the mass, as I was performing the last rite, we suddenly heard a loud noise followed by sporadic gunshots.
There was immediate panic among the congregation,” he told the court.
He described how attackers locked the church’s main entrance and began shooting outside, forcing him to lead children and adults to a nearby restroom for safety.
“I continued to hear gunfire and explosions.
The third blast was so close, it seemed like the ground opened beneath us,” he said.
After the attackers left, the priest described seeing the injured and dead, including his choir master who was shot in the chest.
“He called me to pray for him. I then arranged to move the injured to the hospital,” he said.
He admitted he could not count the dead amid the chaos but personally helped transport victims to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, describing the scene of the emergency ward filled with casualties and the overwhelming grief of survivors.
Cross-examined by defence counsel Abdullahi Mohammad, the priest said he could not identify or count the attackers due to the confusion and his focus on rescuing children.
Earlier, prosecuting lawyer Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN) informed the court that the charges had been amended to correct minor errors.
The defendants all pleaded not guilty.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted an accelerated hearing and adjourned the trial to January 13 and 14, 2026, at 12 noon.
