A Catholic priest on Thursday gave details of how the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo, was attacked on June 5, 2022, which resulted in the death of over 40 worshippers, with over 100 others suffering various degrees of bodily injuries.

The priest, whose name was not given, but merely identified as “SSA,” spoke while testifying as the first prosecution witness in the prosecution of five men accused, in a nine-count amended charge, of being behind the attack.

Those being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) in relation to the attack are

Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25 years), Al Qasim Idris 20 years), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26 years), Abdulhaleem Idris (25 years), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47 years).

The witness said the attack took place towards the end of the first Pentecost Sunday celebration service, which was attended by many worshippers.

The priest, who said he presided over the service, told the court that as the service was drawing to a close, they suddenly heard a loud noise, followed by sporadic shootings, which created commotion and chaos among worshippers.

Led in evidence by the prosecuting lawyer, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), the witness said June 5, 2022, remains a memorable day for him “because it was the day when the violent attack was launched on us, myself and all the worshiping community of St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.

“It was an incident which led to the death of over 40 persons among us, while some of us became maimed; some of us, till this point, have permanent physical injuries.

“I recall that the attack was towards the end of the worship that day. I was the priest assigned to lead the community in worship, which is known as the holy mass.

“Towards the end of the mass, I was performing the last rite, and the people of God had started singing the recessional hymn, the closing hymn. Suddenly, I heard a loud sound. I looked into the congregation, facing them.

“There was already a commotion, which, for me, I thought somebody had fallen. But I saw two men from our congregation, who were members of our community.

“They quickly locked the main entrance door, and another elder in the church came to me in the sanctuary and said to me, Father, we are under attack.

“From this point, I heard the sporadic shooting of guns. This was still outside the church. This elder told me, father you have to leave. At first, I was reluctant to leave the sanctuary. If not for anything, but at least because of those children, who call me father.

“So, taking my leave from the sanctuary, some adults moved some of these children into a safe place. This is an attachment to that church.

“When I was in this place (the safe place), I continued to hear the continuous shooting of guns and the use of about three explosives.

“The third explosive landed very close to the safe place, where I was with the children, with the effect which looked like the opening of the ground. The effect was like the ground opening to swallow us immediately.

“So, the attack continued. After a while, some of our church members came into this place (safe place) and notified us that those who came to attack us had left.

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“Moving out with the children, I saw my choir master shot at the chest. He called me to pray for him. I did, but I told him I have to move him to the hospital.

When I got out, I saw some already dead on the floor.

“So, I shouted that if there is any of us who could still drive, let us begin to move our brothers and sisters to the hospital,” the witness said.

On whether he counted the number of the dead, said it was impossible for him ascertain the number of those killed under the chaos that the attackers created in the church environment on that day.

The priest said, “It was with that violent attack that I understood that proverb that the one struck or hit by a vehicle does not wait to take note of the vehicle’s number. So, I could not immediately count the number of those dead.

“Personally, I went two times to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, to take the casualties to the hospital. By the time I came the second time, there were already ambulances, both from FMC Owo and St Louis Catholic Hospital Owo, also moving the casualties to these two hospitals.

“The second time, when I got to FMC, the emergency ward was filled with these casualties.

The casualties were those who were killed and injured. With the wailing, weeping, and crying from people, I couldn’t even drive again. The care and healing of those injured continued,” the witness said.

The priest said he was later invited to the DSS office in Akure, Ondo State, where he made a statement.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Abdullahi Mohammad, the witness said he could not ascertain the number of those who carried out the attack.

He said, “With the commotion in the church, and my desire to rescue, especially the children, quickly as possible, I could not and I did not identify or recognise those who carried out the attack.

Therefore, I don’t know their number.”

On how he could rescue the children, the witness said the children were at the foot of that sanctuary, where he was standing, when the attack started.

He added, “And, I said with some adults, I moved with the children to a safe place. This safe place is the restroom, attached to the building as a sanctuary. From that building that is attached, you can move into the sanctuary and out of it.”

Earlier, at the commencement of proceedings, Adedipe told the court that the charge had been amended to correct some minor errors.

He applied that the amended charge should be ready for the defendants, which was done, and the defendants all pleaded not guilty.

Justice Emeka Nwite has adjourned till January 13 and 14, 2026, at 12noon each day for the continuation of the hearing. (The Nation)

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