In a significant development in the long-running trial over the deadly 2022 assault on a place of worship, a Federal High Court in Abuja has admitted crucial exhibits as two more survivors gave chilling accounts of the attack.
Survivors Detail Horror in Courtroom
On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, the courtroom listened to the harrowing testimonies of two witnesses, identified by the code names SSB and SSC for security reasons. They testified against five men being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly masterminding the terror attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, on June 5, 2022.
The first witness, a female student from Anambra State code-named SSB, described to Justice Emeka Nwite how gunmen forced their way into the church and opened fire on the choir gallery, causing immediate pandemonium. Her testimony took a devastating turn as she recounted a personal nightmare. She revealed that a dynamite was placed on her head after she dared to look up while one attacker was speaking. She managed to move, but the explosion shattered her left leg.
Led by DSS lawyer Ayodeji Adedipe SAN, the witness showed her damaged leg to the court with permission. She stated that the injury required four separate surgical operations before she could walk again and that a supporting iron rod remains implanted in her leg to this day. Tragically, she also confirmed that her two-year-old cousin was shot in the back of the head and died instantly at the scene.
Exhibits Admitted as Trial Progresses
The second witness, SSC, corroborated the account of the assault, stating that 40 deceased worshippers were counted just after the assailants fled. He confirmed the church was bombed three times with dynamite, causing severe structural damage. Both witnesses confirmed they were invited to the DSS office in Akure on May 26, 2024, where they volunteered their statements.
Following no objections from the defence, Justice Nwite admitted the extra-judicial statements of these two witnesses as Exhibits B and C. The defence counsel, Abdullahi Auwal Mohammed, represented the five accused persons: Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47). All had previously pleaded not guilty to the nine-count amended charge of terrorism.
Path Forward for the Landmark Case
Prosecution counsel Ayodeji Adedipe SAN indicated plans to call seven more witnesses, with two scheduled to testify on the next adjourned date. Justice Emeka Nwite subsequently fixed January 14, 2026, for the continuation of the trial.
This proceeding follows the earlier testimony of a Catholic priest, another victim code-named SSA, who appeared as the first prosecution witness (PW-1) on December 11, 2025. The June 2022 attack, which involved sporadic gunfire and explosives, resulted in the immediate death of 41 parishioners and left over 100 others with injuries, including life-altering amputations.
The trial continues as Nigeria's security and judicial systems seek accountability for one of the most horrific attacks on a civilian congregation in the country's recent history.
