Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have apprehended a sixth suspect linked to the 2022 massacre at St. Francis Catholic Church in Ondo State, where more than 40 worshippers were killed and dozens injured in one of the country’s most shocking terror attacks.
The agency is currently prosecuting five other suspects — Idris Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47) — over alleged acts of terrorism connected to the attack.
Security sources revealed that the newly arrested suspect, identified as Sani Yusuf, had evaded capture for nearly four years and was considered one of the most wanted fugitives in the country.
After an extensive manhunt, DSS operatives tracked him to Iguosa community along the Powerline axis in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, where he was arrested.
Yusuf is described as a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). According to intelligence sources, he fled to Kano shortly after the Owo church attack before relocating to Edo State in an apparent bid to avoid detection.
Sources further disclosed that Yusuf has confessed to playing a key role in the planning and execution of the Owo church attack. He also reportedly admitted involvement in other ISWAP operations, including the July 2022 assault on the Suleja military barracks and multiple kidnapping operations across Kaduna State and surrounding areas.
“He admitted his role in the Owo church attack, the Zuma Rock checkpoint assault that claimed the lives of five soldiers, and several ISWAP-linked abductions,” a source said.
Another source indicated that Yusuf revealed he operated under the command of other ISWAP leaders, including Abu Ikirimah, who was arrested by the DSS in 2024.
Security officials described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the ongoing counterterrorism campaign, noting that it represents a significant step toward justice for the victims of the Owo church massacre and fallen soldiers in Suleja.
The development, they said, underscores the sustained efforts of the DSS in tracking and dismantling terror networks operating within the country.
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