DSS Witness Details Owo Church Attack in Court Testimony

On Tuesday, a witness from the Department of State Services (DSS) testified in the Federal High Court in Abuja about the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

The witness, identified as PW9, detailed the roles of the five defendants: Idris Abdulmalik, Omeiza Abdulmalik, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, in the attack that left 40 people dead and over 100 injured. The witness explained that the defendants were paid, mobilized, and moved weapons for the attack, which was planned in a meeting on May 30, 2022.

The attackers were linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorist group. The DSS's investigation led to the arrest of five individuals in August 2022, including Al Qasim Idris and Abdulhalid Idris, who are brothers of two of the defendants.

The court admitted the evidence presented without objection from the defense.