A witness of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday identified two of the five men standing trial over the June 5, 2022 attack on St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, as participants in the assault that left dozens dead and many others injured.

The witness, the second prosecution witness (PW2), whose identity was protected and referred to as SSB, testified before the court that he saw the second and fourth defendants among the attackers who invaded the church during a Sunday mass.
The DSS is prosecuting Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25) and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47) in connection with the attack.

Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Adedayo Adedipe (SAN), the witness said he was a member of the church and was present when the attack occurred during a mass marking the Feast of Pentecost.

“We were having our normal mass in the church, just about the time the church was closing, we heard a gunshot outside the church compound. So, we were wondering what was happening,” he told the court.

He said another gunshot followed at the church gate, throwing the congregation into panic.
“Then, we started hearing sporadic shooting inside the church compound. Then, one of the MOD (Men of Order and Defence) of the church ran towards the church and shouted, ‘lock the door, lock the door.’ Then, those by the door tried to lock the door,” he said.

According to him, the attackers forced their way in through another entrance.
“Then, we heard some sound at the door. And then, we started hearing foot steps of people running towards the other entrance of the church. They were shooting as well,” the witness said.

He narrated that he saw one of the attackers armed with a gun, surveying the church before signalling to another person to advance.

“In a matter of seconds, I saw one man holding a gun. He looked at the church, up and down, then he used his hand to beckon on someone behind him to come forward,” he said.
When asked if he could recognise the armed man, the witness answered in the affirmative and pointed to the second defendant, Al Qasim Idris, as the person he saw.

Resuming his testimony, the witness identified the fourth defendant, Abdulhaleem Idris, as another participant in the attack.
“At that time, another man emerged with gun and started shooting at the choir gallery, while the first person, that beckoned on the second person, started shooting at the people at the lector’s seat,” he said.
He added that several explosive devices were detonated inside the church.

“So, as they were doing that, later we heard a sound of explosive, there was the second explosive again and the third one. At that time when I heard the third explosive, I became very afraid and fell on my face to the ground. Then, I heard the fourth explosive,” he said.

According to him, he later saw three men, one of whom carried a bag across his shoulder, appearing to assess the scene before leaving.

“He now examined the church by looking at us. And, hoping that everybody has been killed, he now made a sign as if to say, let us go. From then, we did not hear any gun shot again,” the witness said.

He told the court that while he could not identify the person who threw the explosives, he recognised the fourth defendant as the man carrying the bag when the attackers were leaving the church premises.
The witness said that after the attackers left, he escaped through a window and saw bodies outside the church compound.
“When I landed outside I saw the dead body of a woman beside a car and another dead body of a man, beside the fence, near the Oba’s palace,” he said.

He estimated that more than 40 people were killed in the attack, with many others injured.
“By the time I came back from the hospital, in the afternoon of that day, the whole hospital was filled up with casualties of the attack, among whom were people, whose legs were amputated,” he added.
He also told the court that the church building was extensively damaged by gunshots and explosions, with blood stains all over the premises.

The witness confirmed that he made a statement to the DSS at its Akure office during investigations, which was admitted in evidence by the court.

Under cross-examination, he told the court that only the main door of the church was locked at the time of the attack and that the first armed man entered through a door beside the choir stand.

The third prosecution witness, a female identified as SSC, also testified, giving an account of how she survived the attack with severe injuries to her left leg.

Led in evidence by Adedipe, she said she was initially confused when the shooting started.
“I was confused and did not know what was happening until an old woman sitting beside me was killed,” she said.
She told the court that she was helped towards the altar area, where she lay on the floor with others.
“And, we were all lying down when the unknown gunmen climbed to the alter and asked us, ‘do you know why we are doing this?’” she said.

She said one of the attackers threatened her after noticing her movement.
“But, he thought I saw him and he said, ‘you that are looking at me, you will die immediately.’ And he dropped the dynamite beside my head and he left,” she told the court.

According to her, the explosive detonated near her leg, causing serious injuries.
“I never knew that my left leg was not yet removed from the dynamite and the dynamite exploded and my left leg was damaged with wounds,” she said.

The witness displayed her injured leg to the court, showing the extent of the damage allegedly caused by the explosive device.
She further testified that she lost a younger cousin, aged two, who was shot during the attack.
“He was just two years. He was shot at the back of his head,” she said.

She told the court that her injured leg had undergone four surgeries and skin grafting, adding that an iron implant had been inserted and that she was still on medication.

The witness said she made a statement to the DSS on May 26, 2024, after being invited to its Akure office.

She told the court that 41 people died instantly in the attack, while over 100 others sustained injuries, adding under cross-examination that the figure was based on an obituary magazine published on the day of the victims’ burial.
The trial continues on January 14 at noon.