A prosecution witness has given a chilling account before a Federal High Court in Abuja of how the brutal attack on St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo state, left her permanently disabled, having lost both legs and her left eye.
Harrowing Testimony of a Survivor
The witness, identified in court as SSD, was a nurse and resident of Owo. She testified on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, in the ongoing terrorism trial of five men accused of masterminding the massacre that occurred on June 5, 2022.
Led in evidence by prosecuting lawyer Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN) before Justice Emeka Nwite, SSD recounted the terror that unfolded during the Pentecost Sunday service. She initially mistook the first gunshot for celebratory firecrackers before realizing "something was happening outside."
"I ran to the altar to lie down. Then the gunshots continued sporadically. I couldn’t raise my head again until I heard a loud sound, which I think is dynamite," she told the court. "I touched my eyes, and everywhere was bloody. I touched my legs. I couldn’t feel anything, only the rags and the dangling part of my shattered leg."
Life-Altering Injuries and Recovery
SSD described being dragged from the rubble and rushed to the hospital alongside other victims and the deceased. The medical consequences were severe and permanent.
Doctors were forced to amputate both of her legs, and she lost her left eye, which was later replaced with a prosthesis. The witness spent over five months receiving medical care and now relies on a wheelchair for mobility.
Nigerians React and Demand Justice
Following the sharing of her story on social media, many Nigerians have expressed outrage and called for decisive action. Reactions on platform X highlighted a public clamor for justice and understanding.
One user, Lagos Boy, argued for media access to the suspects: "Pressmen should be allowed to interview these Owo massacre murderers. We need to know what goes on in their heads... Our enemies know us already. We should get an insight into their thought process."
Others, like Eyitope, demanded the suspects' ethnic backgrounds be revealed, while Akande Kolade called for immediate capital punishment. User Santoshi advocated for severe retribution, questioning the attackers' morality.
The trial continues amidst these emotional public reactions and the survivor's powerful testimony, which has put a human face on the devastating impact of the attack.
