An eighth witness for the Department of State Services (DSS) has corroborated earlier testimony identifying one of the suspects in the 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.
The witness, an Amotekun operative, confirmed that the second defendant, Al Quasim Idris, was involved in the deadly assault that claimed several lives.
Testifying before a Federal High Court in Abuja, the witness said he arrived at the church shortly after the attack and engaged in a gunfight with the suspects in a nearby bush.
He identified Al Quasim Idris as one of the attackers who exchanged fire at close range with security operatives.
The DSS is prosecuting Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Quasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47) over the June 5, 2022 incident.
Led in evidence by SAN Ayodeji Adedipe, the witness, code-named SSH, described how he and fellow Amotekun officers were diverted from an anti-kidnapping mission to the church following an emergency call.
“On arriving at St. Francis Church, we saw several dead bodies inside and around the premises, including injured women and children,” he said.
SSH detailed how the attackers fled in a blue Nissan, prompting a pursuit along Ute Road. During the ensuing gunfight in the bush, he saw Al Quasim Idris and said a volunteer hunter assisting the officers was killed. The vehicle used by the attackers was later recovered and taken to Amotekun headquarters.
During cross-examination, the witness clarified he did not participate in identifying the Nissan car’s owner, who later came to the office voluntarily.
At the conclusion of proceedings, prosecution counsel Adedipe requested a three-day adjournment to call the final witnesses and close the case.
Defense counsel Abdullahi Mohammad did not oppose the adjournment. Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the trial to March 24, 25, and 26 for continuation.
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