One of the victims of the June 5, 2022 terror attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, identified two of the five defendants as participants in the attack during a court session on Tuesday.
The victim, referred to as “SSB” for security reasons, testified before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja while being led in evidence by DSS lawyer Adedayo Adedipe, SAN. The DSS is prosecuting Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25 years), Al Qasim Idris (20 years), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26 years), Abdulhaleem Idris (25 years), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47 years) as the 1st to 5th defendants, respectively, for alleged terrorism offenses.
SSB, the second prosecution witness (PW-2), stated that he is a member of the church and was present during the attack. He recounted the harrowing details of how the incident unfolded and the extent of the damage inflicted on both worshippers and the church building.
When asked by Adedipe if he could recognize the attackers among the defendants, the witness affirmed he could. He subsequently identified Qasim Idris (2nd defendant) and Abdulhaleem Idris (4th defendant) as those he saw among the attackers.
The witness recalled, “We were having our normal mass in the church, just about the time the church was closing when we heard a gunshot outside the church compound. We were wondering what was happening. Then, we heard another gunshot at the gate, followed by pandemonium in the church. Everybody was running helter-skelter.”
He described the chaos as sporadic gunfire erupted inside the church compound, and a church security member shouted, “lock the door, lock the door.” The witness then observed a man holding a gun beckoning to another attacker.
When asked if he could recognize the man who was holding the gun, the witness initially pointed to the fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, who protested. However, after being instructed by the judge to move closer to the defendants, the witness changed his identification, stating that the person was actually the 2nd defendant, Al Qasim Idris.
Defense lawyer Abdullahi Mohammad raised an objection to the witness’s change of identification, arguing that he should not be allowed to change his testimony without claiming a vision issue. Nevertheless, Justice Nwite overruled the objection, emphasizing that the defense could challenge the witness during cross-examination.
Continuing his testimony, the witness identified the 4th defendant, Abdulhaleem Idris, as another attacker. He elaborated on the attack, stating, “At that time, another man emerged with a gun and started shooting at the choir gallery, while the first person started shooting at the people at the lector’s seat. We then heard explosions.”
The witness recounted the horrifying moments, saying, “When I heard the third explosion, I became very afraid and fell on my face to the ground. I then raised my eyes and saw three people. The third one was black in complexion and carrying a bag across his shoulder.”
He identified the 4th defendant as the one who carried the bag while the attackers were fleeing the church after the assault. He also noted that he could not identify the individual who joined the 2nd defendant in shooting.
After the attackers left, the witness described how he saw two church members attempting to escape. He recounted, “When I stood up, I jumped through the window and saw the dead body of a woman beside a car and another dead body of a man near the Oba’s palace.”
The witness estimated that more than 40 people died in the attack and mentioned that the hospital was filled with casualties, including many who suffered severe injuries. He stated, “By the time I came back from the hospital, the whole hospital was filled with casualties of the attack, among whom were people whose legs were amputated.”
The PW-2 confirmed he had made a statement to the DSS during their investigation, which was later admitted as evidence.
The court also heard from the third prosecution witness (PW-3), a female identified as “SSC,” who detailed her escape from the church and the injuries she sustained. She described the chaos during the attack and reported that her cousin, a two-year-old boy, was killed.
After her testimony, Justice Nwite adjourned the case until January 14 for further proceedings.
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