Photo caption: Remains of the victims of the St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, massacre at the funeral mass in June 22.
Operatives of the Department of State Services have arrested the sixth person involved in the 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, in which over 40 worshippers were killed and scores injured.
The service had arrested five suspects: Idris Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Abubakar (47).
The suspects are currently on trial for allegedly carrying out acts of terrorism in Abuja.
A security source on Wednesday disclosed that DSS operatives, who had been on his trail for years, arrested the suspect, identified as Sani Yusuf, in Iguosa community along Powerline in Ovia North Local Government Area of Edo State.
According to the source, Yusuf, described as a high-profile commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province, had temporarily relocated to Kano after the Owo church attack before moving to the Edo community.
The source said, “Our operatives had been on Sani Yusuf for years but was arrested at Iguosa community, along Powerline in Ovia North Local Government Area of Edo State. Yusuf, is a high-profile commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province.
“He had after the Owo church attack, temporarily slipped into Kano before deciding to relocate to the sleepy community in Edo State. He has confessed to being involved in the planning and execution of the Owo church massacre. ”
Another source said that, beyond the Owo attack, the suspect was involved in the July 2022 Suleja military barracks attack and kidnappings in Kaduna State and surrounding areas.
“He said he was involved in the Zuma Rock checkpoint assault, which claimed the lives of five soldiers, and several ISWAP kidnap operations.
“Yusuf also disclosed that he served under other ISWAP top commanders like Abu Ikirimah, who was arrested by the DSS in 2024,” the source added.
Yusuf’s capture in Edo State suggests that the DSS is tracking the movement of these cells into the southern forests and peri-urban areas to prevent the establishment of new operational bases.
The Owo Church attack on June 5, 2022, remains one of the deadliest incidents in Southwest Nigeria.
During a Pentecost Sunday service, gunmen detonated explosives and opened fire on worshippers. Over 40 people were killed, including women and children.
Historically, Southwest Nigeria had been relatively insulated from the high-intensity insurgency seen in the Northeast. This attack raised fears that terror cells, specifically ISWAP, were expanding their operational theatre far beyond their traditional strongholds.
