Citizenship News
The Department of State Service (DSS), two other witnesses have testified in a case of alleged masterminds of the June 5, 2022 terror attack on the Saint Francis Savier Catholic Church in Owo town, Ondo State which left many worshippers dead and others amputated.
The prosecution also tendered additional exhibits which were admitted against the five accused persons.
The defendants are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25 years), Al Qasim Idris (20 years), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26 years), Abdulhaleem Idris (25 years) and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47 years).
The DSS is prosecuting the defendants who pleaded not guilty on a 9-count charge bordering on terrorism.
The violent attack which involved sporadic shooting and explosives against the church left 41 worshippers instantly dead and over 100 suffered various degrees of injuries including amputations of legs.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, the two witnesses code-named SSB and SSC pathetically narrated how the gunmen stormed the church, locked up the main entrance door and fired several gun shots at the worshippers.
A lady witness code-named SSB, a student from Anambra state told Justice Emeka Nwite how the gunmen forced their ways into the church, fired gun shots at choir gallery during which heavy pandemonium took over the church.
She said that an explosive, dynamite was set at her head to blow her up for having audacity to raise her head when one of the gunmen was talking but swiftly moved her body only for her left leg to be shattered by the heavy explosion of the dynamite.
Led in evidence by the DSS lawyer, Ayodeji Adedipe SAN, the female witness showed the damaged left leg to the court upon permission to do so.
The witness confirmed that the damaged leg was operated four times by medical experts before she could manage it to walk.
The SSC noted with sadness that iron was fixed in the leg to support it and that the iron had not been removed from the leg till date.
She said that her brother’s cousin of two years was not lucky during the attack as he was shot from the back of his head and died on the spot.
The second witness code-named SSB had earlier narrated the same story of the attack and how 40 worshippers were counted dead shortly after the gunmen left the scene of the attack.
He confirmed that the church was bombed three times with dynamite which resulted in serious damages to the church.
The two witnesses confirmed that they were invited by DSS at its Akure office where they volunteered their statements on May 26, 2024.
Meanwhile, the two extra judicial statements made by the two witnesses to DSS have been admitted as Exhibits B and C by Justice Emeka Nwite following absence of objections
to their admission.
Meanwhile, Counsel to DSS, Ayodeji Adedipe SAN said he intends to call seven more witnesses but that only two would testify on January 14.
The trial continues January 14.
