Survivors of the June 5, 2022 Pentecost Day attack on St Francis Xavier Catholic Church recount chilling moments in court as the DSS prosecutes five suspects on terrorism charges.

The trial over the June 5, 2022 terror attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, is ongoing at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

As the court admitted additional exhibits tendered by the Department of State Services (DSS), two more prosecution witnesses gave vivid and harrowing accounts of the attack.

The DSS is prosecuting five suspects—Idris Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47)—on an amended nine-count charge bordering on terrorism.

Recall that the June 2022 attack occurred during a Sunday Mass marking the Feast of Pentecost, when gunmen stormed the church, locked the main entrance, opened fire on worshippers, and detonated explosives. The assault claimed at least 41 lives and left over 100 people injured, leaving a deep scar on the Owo community.

Under cross-examination by DSS counsel, Adedayo Adedipe (SAN), one of the witnesses told the court that the attackers forced their way into the church through a secondary entrance after worshippers attempted to secure the main door.

During the hearing, a male witness identified as SSB recounted how the attack unfolded.

“In a matter of seconds, I saw a man holding a gun. He looked into the church and beckoned to someone behind him,” SSB told the court.

SSB identified Abdulhaleem Idris, the fourth defendant, as the man carrying a bag when the attackers were preparing to leave the church premises.

“I fell face down 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 added.

A second witness, a female identified as SSC, told the court that although she survived the attack, she sustained permanent injuries to her left leg.

She recalled the terrifying moment when a gunman dropped dynamite near her and demanded, “Do you know why we are doing this?”

SSC also recounted seeing the body of her two-year-old cousin, whose mother could not recognise her at the hospital due to the severity of the injuries and dust from the explosion.

She showed the court her operated leg, revealing that it had undergone four surgeries and still contained metal implants.

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