Court proceedings have revealed chilling new details about the attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, in June 2022., with an SSS operative testifying that the suspects allegedly planned and rehearsed the assault, obtaining firearms and explosives before storming the church and opening fire on worshippers.
Testifying under protection and identified only as SSI, the operative explained that he was assigned to lead the investigation immediately after the incident, with the task of identifying those responsible and uncovering how the attack was executed.
According to his testimony, months of intelligence gathering, surveillance, and technical tracking enabled security operatives to trace and arrest five suspects believed to be connected to the assault. The suspects were arrested in different locations across Kogi and Ondo states during coordinated operations in August 2022.
The witness told the court that investigators linked the suspects to a terrorist network allegedly affiliated with the Islamic State West Africa Province, also known as ISWAP. He said the group was allegedly instructed by their leader to carry out an attack on a Sunday service, with a specific directive to target the church and cause maximum casualties.
Investigators said meetings were held before the incident, where plans were discussed, weapons were obtained, and roles were assigned to members of the group.
The court heard that on the day of the attack, the suspects allegedly travelled to Owo with firearms and explosive devices concealed in their vehicle before launching the assault during a church service.
The attack left dozens of worshippers dead and many others injured, sending shockwaves across Nigeria and beyond. The witness also presented medical records and investigative findings documenting the number of casualties and the scale of the violence.
The suspects were later charged with terrorism offences by the Federal Government, and their trial is currently ongoing at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The case continues as prosecutors present further evidence to establish the alleged involvement of the accused persons in one of Nigeria’s deadliest attacks on a place of worship in recent years.
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