Owo Church Attack Suspect Tells Court How DSS Operatives Snatched Him as Trial Enters Decisive Phase

The trial of the men accused of the 2022 St. Francis Catholic Church massacre in Owo took a dramatic turn on Wednesday, March 4, as one of the lead suspects, Idris Ojo, took the stand to recount his “violent” encounter with the Department of State Services (DSS). Ojo, who is facing a nine-count terrorism charge, told a Federal High Court in Abuja that his arrest felt more like a “coordinated ambush” than a standard police procedure.

According to Ojo’s testimony, he was intercepted by heavily armed DSS operatives who allegedly blindfolded him and transported him to a “black site” for interrogation. His account is a key part of the defense’s strategy to challenge the “State of Harmony” presented by the prosecution, as they attempt to prove that the evidence against the five defendants was gathered through intimidation.

However, the prosecution’s case remains formidable. During the same hearing, a member of the Ondo State Security Network (Amotekun) gave a chilling eyewitness account, stating that he engaged in a close-range gun battle with the attackers on that fateful Sunday in June 2022. The operative, testifying behind a screen for protection, pointedly identified Ojo and his co-defendants as being part of the ISWAP-linked cell that turned a house of worship into a graveyard.

This latest testimony follows a major breakthrough just seven days ago when the DSS finally captured a sixth suspect who had been on the run since the 2022 tragedy. With the court now weighing Ojo’s claims of an “ambush” against the testimonies of survivors and security operatives, the legal battle for justice for the 41 victims of the Owo massacre is nearing its peak. The presiding judge has adjourned the matter for a ruling on the admissibility of the suspects’ statements, as the nation watches to see if “Judgment Day” is finally on the horizon.