A Catholic priest on Thursday relived the horror of the June 5, 2022 massacre at St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, telling a Federal High Court in Abuja that the explosives deployed by the attackers shook the sanctuary so violently “it felt like the ground was opening to swallow us.”
The priest, whose identity was concealed for security reasons, testified in the ongoing trial of five men accused of executing the deadly attack that killed more than 40 worshippers and injured over 100 others.
The defendants ; Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar — are facing a nine-count terrorism charge filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The DSS alleges that the suspects belonged to an Al-Shabaab-inspired terror cell operating from Kogi State.
Led in evidence by DSS counsel, Ayodeji Adedipe, the priest said he was rounding off Mass when sporadic gunshots jolted the congregation. He initially assumed someone had collapsed until he noticed two parishioners shutting the main entrance.
“One of the elders ran to the sanctuary and said to me, ‘Father, we are under attack.’ The gunshots grew louder. Another elder urged me repeatedly, ‘Father, leave now,’” he told the court.
He said he refused at first because he was thinking of the children in the church. Eventually, he gathered some children and adults and moved them to a small attachment beside the sanctuary.
From that “safe place”, he heard at least three explosive devices go off.
“The third explosive landed very close to us. The impact felt like the ground was splitting open beneath us. The whole place shook as though we would be swallowed,” he recounted.
‘People lay dead… my choir master was shot in the chest’
When the shooting finally stopped, the priest stepped out to scenes of carnage.
“I saw my choir master shot in the chest. He called me to pray for him, but I told him I needed to get him to the hospital first. As I moved, I saw others already dead on the floor,” he said.
He added that the chaos made it impossible to count the dead.
The priest said surviving members rallied to transport the wounded to hospitals as bodies lay across the church compound.
Cross-examination: ‘I could not identify the attackers’
During cross-examination, defence counsel Abdullahi Mohammed asked if he could identify the attackers.
“With the commotion and my concern for the children, I could not recognise any of them. I don’t know their number,” the witness stated.
Earlier, DSS counsel informed the court that the charges had been amended to correct minor errors. The suspects pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter to January 13 and 14, 2026 for continuation of trial.
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
