A second security operative has corroborated testimony identifying one of the accused perpetrators of the 2022 St. Francis Catholic Church massacre in Owo, Ondo State, as proceedings continued at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday.
The eighth prosecution witness, an Amotekun Corps officer, told the court he engaged in close-range gunfire with the second defendant, Al Quasim Idris, shortly after the deadly attack that claimed multiple lives during Sunday worship on June 5, 2022.
The testimony mirrors that of another Amotekun operative who appeared as the seventh witness on Tuesday, creating a pattern of identification that strengthens the prosecution’s case against the 20-year-old suspect.
The witness, whose identity was shielded with the initials SSH, provided a harrowing account of the pursuit that followed the church attack. He testified that his unit received a distress call while on an anti-kidnapping operation and immediately diverted to the scene.
“On getting to the church, we met a crowd and managed to enter the premises. When we entered the church premises, we saw several dead bodies on the floor, both inside and around the church, including some injured people, including women and children,” SSH told the court under examination by prosecution counsel Ayodeji Adedipe, a senior advocate.
Learning that four attackers had fled in a blue Nissan vehicle, the Amotekun team gave chase toward Ute Road. The witness said their superior vehicle allowed them to gain ground on the suspects.
“The attackers abruptly parked their car and ran into the bush. One of our men and a volunteer hunter went after them while the rest of us waited strategically,” he recounted.
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It was during the ensuing gun battle in the bush that SSH said he came face-to-face with Al Quasim Idris. Tragically, the volunteer hunter accompanying the security team was killed in the firefight.
“We were able to get back to the bush to retrieve the body of the hunter,” the witness stated.
The Department of State Services is prosecuting five suspects in connection with the massacre; namely Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25; Al Qasim Idris, 20; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26; Abdulhaleem Idris, 25 and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, 47.
During cross-examination by defense lawyer Abdullahi Mohammad, SSH revealed that the owner of the abandoned Nissan vehicle later came forward to identify himself at the Amotekun office before the car was transferred to state headquarters in Akure. However, the witness said he was not present during the interview with the vehicle’s owner.
The witness acknowledged he could not recall specific details about how many officers retrieved the slain hunter’s body from the bush.
At the conclusion of Wednesday’s proceedings, lead prosecutor Adedipe requested a three-day consecutive adjournment to present the final witnesses and close the prosecution’s case. The defense did not oppose the motion.
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter until March 24, 25, and 26 for continuation of trial.
The June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church during Pentecost Sunday mass shocked Nigeria and drew international condemnation.
Gunmen opened fire on worshippers, killing dozens and injuring many others in one of the deadliest attacks on a place of worship in recent Nigerian history.
Crediblenewsng.com
