A Catholic priest, identified only as “SSA” for security reasons, delivered a harrowing testimony behind a protective screen on Thursday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, recounting the deadly terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, on Pentecost Sunday in 2022.
The attack resulted in the killing of more than 40 worshippers and injury to over 100 others. The priest appeared as the first prosecution witness in the trial of five suspects being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Attack Details and Defendants
The defendants—Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47)—face a nine-count amended charge before Justice Emeka Nwite. All five defendants pleaded not guilty to the amended charges at the commencement of proceedings.
Testifying under the guidance of DSS counsel, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), the priest confirmed that the attack took place on June 5, 2022, towards the end of the First Pentecost Sunday Mass, which he was presiding over and was attended by many worshippers.
Chaos and Explosions
The witness recounted that as the Mass neared its conclusion, they suddenly heard a loud noise followed by sporadic gunshots, instantly creating “commotion and chaos among the congregation.”
He initially thought someone had fallen until he saw two community members quickly lock the main entrance. An elder rushed to him, confirming they were under attack.
Driven by the need to protect the children present, the priest and some members immediately moved the children to the only available refuge: the church restroom, where they continued to hear gunshots.
He described the terrifying sequence of explosives:
* Two explosions went off initially.
* A third explosive detonated very close to their hiding place with an impact that felt “like the ground opening to swallow us immediately.”
The attack continued until some church members eventually notified them that the attackers had fled.
Aftermath of Violence
Stepping out, the priest was met with a devastating scene of bodies and critically injured worshippers scattered around the church.
“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,” the witness recalled. “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 priest personally transported casualties to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, twice. By his second trip, ambulances from FMC Owo and St. Louis Catholic Hospital were already moving casualties, with the FMC emergency ward filled with the dead and injured amidst intense “wailing, weeping and crying.”
Cross-Examination
During cross-examination by defense lawyer Abdullahi Mohammad, the witness said that the sheer violence and chaos of the attack made it impossible to ascertain the exact number of those killed or to identify the attackers.
“It was with that violent attack that I understood that proverb that says, ‘the one struck or hit by a vehicle does not wait to take note of the vehicle’s number plate. So, I could not immediately count the number of those dead,” he stated.
He also clarified that he could not ascertain the number of attackers or recognize them, prioritizing the quick rescue of the children who were at the foot of the sanctuary when the attack began.
The priest confirmed he was later invited to the DSS office in Akure, Ondo State, where he provided a statement.
Justice Nwite adjourned the hearing until January 13 and 14, 2026, at 12 noon daily.
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