A survivor of the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, has given a harrowing account of how she narrowly escaped death after an explosive device was detonated beside her during the Sunday Mass.

Testifying as the third prosecution witness, using the pseudonym SSC, a student from Achara, Anambra State, told Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, that the attack occurred during the Pentecost Sunday service, which began at about 8:00 a.m.

She said she did not immediately understand what was happening until an elderly woman seated beside her was shot dead.

According to her, amid the chaos, a man pulled her from her seat and ran with her toward the altar, where she met her brother, Chinedu Ojukwu, who helped her lie face-down on the floor for safety. She said the gunmen later mounted the altar and questioned those lying there on whether they knew why the attack was being carried out.

The witness stated that when she briefly looked up, one of the attackers accused her of seeing his face, threatened her with death, and dropped an explosive device close to her head. Although she managed to move slightly with her brother’s help, the device detonated and severely injured her left leg.

She told the court that she underwent four surgeries, including skin grafting, and now walks with an iron implant in her leg, adding that she is still receiving medical treatment. The witness also narrated that while being taken to the hospital, she saw the lifeless body of her two-year-old cousin outside the church premises, shot in the back of the head.

SSC testified that she later learned that 41 worshippers died in the attack, a figure she said was published in an obituary magazine during the mass burial of the victims. Her statement made at the State Security Service (SSS) facility in Ondo State on May 26, 2024, was tendered and admitted as evidence.

Another prosecution witness, PW2, SSB, a retired security officer and resident of Owo, also gave his account of the attack. He told the court that while Mass was ongoing, gunshots were first heard outside the church compound, followed by sporadic shooting within the premises, which threw the congregation into panic.

PW2 said security personnel shouted for the church doors to be locked as bullets struck the entrance. He testified that he saw an armed man enter the church and beckon another assailant to join him. During the shooting, one of the attackers fired toward the choir gallery while another shot at worshippers seated near the lectors’ stand.

The witness said several explosions followed, forcing him to lie face down on the floor in fear. When the shooting stopped, he raised his head and saw three assailants inspecting the church, apparently to confirm that everyone was dead, before signaling one another to leave.

In a dramatic moment in court, PW2 was asked if he could identify the gunman he saw. He initially pointed at the fifth defendant but, after being directed by the court to take a closer look, identified the second defendant as the person he saw during the attack. He also identified the fourth defendant as one of the assailants who carried a bag during the operation.

Defence counsel objected to the witness’s change in identification, arguing that he could not alter his testimony. However, the prosecution countered that the witness needed a closer look because one of the defendants had been wearing a face mask in court. The trial judge ruled that issues surrounding the identification should be tested during cross-examination, not at that stage.

PW2 further testified that after escaping through a window, he saw the bodies of a woman lying beside a vehicle and a man near the church fence, adding that more than 40 people were killed in the attack. He said the hospital was overwhelmed with casualties, including victims who suffered amputations.

The witness told the court that he returned to the church the following day and observed extensive damage, including bloodstains on the floor and surrounding areas. He also confirmed that he made a statement to the SSS in 2024, which was admitted in evidence.

The DSS has listed 10 witnesses to prove its case in the Owo Church attack. The case has been adjourned to 14th January for the continuation of the trial. (Channels TV)