Manny Ita
A significant breakthrough occurred in the ongoing trial regarding the June 5, 2022, massacre at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, as prosecution witnesses identified two of the five defendants in open court for the first time. During the proceedings on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, survivors provided detailed accounts of the assault that resulted in the deaths of over 40 worshippers and left more than 100 others injured. The trial, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, featured testimony from a witness identified by the pseudonym SSB, who pointed directly to Al-Qasim Idris and Abdulhaleem Idris in the dock. According to the witness, Al-Qasim Idris was the gunman who initiated the internal assault, testifying that he “beckoned someone behind him to come forward” before opening fire on the congregation at the lector’s seat. Abdulhaleem Idris was identified as the individual carrying a bag who reportedly signaled for the attackers to retreat, with the witness noting he made a hand gesture as if to say, “Let us go,” following the final explosion.
Further harrowing testimony was provided by a third witness, SSC, who recounted the terror of the explosions while lying near the altar. She described the moment a dynamite blast severely damaged her left leg, stating, “I was confused until an old woman beside me was killed… The dynamite exploded and my left leg was badly damaged.” The witness tragically confirmed that her two-year-old cousin was among the fatalities of the attack. The Department of State Services (DSS) is currently prosecuting five men—Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar—who are accused of being members of a terrorist cell. While earlier reports linked the group to ISWAP, current charges associate them with Al-Shabab.
All five defendants have entered pleas of not guilty to a nine-count charge encompassing terrorism and mass murder. In response to the gravity of the case, the court has granted an accelerated hearing to ensure a swift conclusion to the judicial process. Following the testimonies delivered on Tuesday, the trial resumed today, January 14, 2026. The prosecution is expected to present further witnesses, including forensic experts and investigators who recovered AK-47 shells and undetonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) from the scene of the massacre.
