Crime
Owo Massacre: Catholic Priest Narrates Church Bombing, Shootings in Court
A Catholic priest on Thursday narrated before the Federal High Court in Abuja how terrorists launched a deadly attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, during Pentecost Sunday service in 2022.
Biztellers reports that the attack took the lives of more than 40 worshippers and injured over 100 others.
Testifying behind a protective screen and identified as “SSA” for security reasons, the priest appeared as the first prosecution witness in the trial of five suspects being prosecuted by the Department of State Services.
The defendants — Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47) — face a nine-count amended charge before Justice Emeka Nwite.
On the events of June 5, 2022, the priest said the attack occurred towards the end of the First Pentecost Sunday Mass, which he presided over.
While being led in evidence by DSS counsel, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), the witness told the court that the attack took place towards the end of the First Pentecost Sunday celebration, which was attended by many worshippers.
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The priest, who said he presided over the service, stated that as the Mass was coming to a close, they suddenly heard a loud noise followed by sporadic gunshots, which created commotion and chaos among the congregation.
Facing the congregation, he initially thought someone had fallen, but then saw two members of the community quickly lock the main entrance.
An elder rushed to him and informed him they were under attack. At that moment, he also heard sporadic gunshots outside the church.
The witness said he initially wanted to run out but reconsidered because of the children present, adding that he and some members immediately tried to move the children to safety.
He said the only place available for refuge was the church restroom, where they continued to hear gunshots.
After two explosions went off, the third explosive detonated very close to where he was sheltering with the children, with an impact that felt as if the ground was about to open.
He stated, “The effect was like the ground opening to swallow us immediately. So, the attack continued. After a while, some of our church members came into this place and notified us that those who came to attack us had left.”
He said that after the attackers fled, he stepped out to see bodies and critically injured worshippers scattered around the church.
“Moving out with the children, I saw my choir master shot at the chest. He called me to pray for him. I did, but I told him I have to move him to the hospital.
“When I got out, I saw some already dead on the floor. So, I shouted that if there is any of us who could still drive, let us begin to move our brothers and sisters to the hospital,” the witness said.
During cross-examination, when asked if he counted the number of dead, the witness said it was impossible for him to ascertain the number of those killed under the commotion created by the attackers.
“It was with that violent attack that I understood that proverb that says, ‘the one struck or hit by a vehicle does not wait to take note of the vehicle’s number plate. So, I could not immediately count the number of those dead.
“Personally, I went two times to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, to take the casualties to the hospital. By the time I came the second time, there were already ambulances, both from FMC Owo and St. Louis Catholic Hospital, Owo, also moving the casualties to these two hospitals.
“The second time I got to FMC, the emergency ward was filled with these casualties. The casualties were those who were killed and injured.
“With the wailing, weeping and crying from people, I couldn’t even drive again. The care and healing of those injured continued,” the witness told the court.
The priest said he was later invited to the DSS office in Akure, Ondo State, where he made a statement.
During further cross-examination by defence lawyer Abdullahi Mohammad, the witness said he could not ascertain the number of attackers.
“With the commotion in the church, and my desire to rescue, especially the children, quickly as possible, I could not, and I did not identify or recognise those who carried out the attack.
“Therefore, I don’t know their number,” he added.
On how he managed to rescue the children, he explained that the children were at the foot of the sanctuary where he was standing when the attack started.
“As I said, with some adults, I moved with the children to a safe place. This safe place is the restroom, attached to the sanctuary as a building. From that building that is attached, you can move into the sanctuary and out of it,” he added.
Earlier at the commencement of proceedings, Adedipe informed the court that the charge had been amended to correct some minor errors.
He applied that the amended charge be read to the defendants, which was done, and the defendants all pleaded not guilty.
Justice Nwite adjourned the hearing to January 13 and 14, 2026, at 12 noon daily.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two elderly men aged 84 and 75 for allegedly supplying illicit drugs to secondary school students in Umuahia, Abia State, in a shocking case that has stirred public concern.
The suspects, identified as Godfrey Orji (84) and Godwin Obulunbiya Obiora (75), were arrested in separate intelligence-led operations by NDLEA operatives over their alleged involvement in drug distribution within school communities.
Drugs hidden in patent medicine shop
According to the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Obiora was arrested on June 19, 2026, after credible intelligence linked him to selling illicit substances to students from his patent medicine store located at 4 Club Road, Umuahia.
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A search of the premises reportedly led to the recovery of 4.64 kilograms of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam.
Babafemi stated: “Pa Obiora was arrested by NDLEA operatives following credible intelligence that he was selling illicit substances to young students and others in his patent medicine store.”
Arrest at school exposes second suspect
In a separate operation, Godfrey Orji, a pensioner, was apprehended after he was allegedly caught supplying drugs to students of Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia.
Security guards at the school reportedly intercepted him and handed him over to the police, who later transferred him to the NDLEA.
One of the teenage students, a 15-year-old SS2 pupil, allegedly confessed during interrogation that the suspect regularly supplied him with drugs, which he also sold to other students.
Students moved to rehabilitation
The NDLEA confirmed that while the two suspects will face prosecution, the affected students have been placed under counselling and rehabilitation programmes as part of efforts to curb drug abuse in schools.
Nationwide crackdown continues
The Abia arrests come amid ongoing nationwide operations by the NDLEA, which also recorded major drug seizures across the country In Lagos, operatives intercepted 9.5kg of ADB-Chminaca, a synthetic cannabinoid concealed in a shipment from China.
Another raid uncovered 300 grams of cannabis (“Loud”) hidden in handbags at a logistics facility.
A drug dealer’s home in Ajah was raided, with codeine syrup and cannabis recovered.
In Kogi State, a suspect was arrested with 1.030kg of methamphetamine hidden in custard containers.
In Oyo State, operatives recovered 1,416kg of skunk during a major raid.
In Edo State, large cannabis farms were destroyed, with over 4,000kg of cannabis recovered or eradicated.
NDLEA vows stronger enforcement
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended operatives across multiple states for their coordinated operations and urged them to sustain the momentum.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to both enforcement and public sensitisation under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.
The NDLEA says it will continue its nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking networks, especially those targeting vulnerable young people in school environments, as investigations and prosecutions continue in the Abia case.
Popular TikTok personality, Fati Cele, has been detained by the Kano State Police Command following the death of her boyfriend, Isma’il Makaye, at her residence in Kano State.
The development was confirmed on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna, who said the social media influencer is currently in custody while investigations continue.
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“Yes, it’s true, the TikToker is currently being detained over the death of her boyfriend, Isma’il Makaye,” Haruna said.
The police spokesperson, however, declined to provide further details regarding the incident, stressing that investigations are ongoing.
Fati Cele, who is originally from Borno State, resides in a rented apartment in the Danbare area of Kano.
She is a well-known content creator on TikTok, where she has built a following of more than 32,000 followers.
According to a source close to the deceased who spoke on condition of anonymity, the incident occurred after Cele allegedly raised an alarm from her residence, claiming there was a fire outbreak.
The source said Makaye was immediately rushed to Nassarawa Hospital for treatment but was later confirmed dead.
It was further gathered that officers attached to the Dorayi Babba Police Division subsequently took the TikTok personality into custody as part of ongoing investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The deceased, Makaye, was a cosmetics trader who lived in the Hotoro Tishama area of Kano.
Family associates disclosed that he was buried at Unguwa Uku Yan Awaki after his remains were released to relatives for burial rites.
The Kano State Police Command has yet to disclose the exact cause of death, maintaining that investigations are still underway.
The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered an alleged human trafficking scheme and arrested a woman accused of attempting to traffic three young women from Kaduna State to Ivory Coast for prostitution.
The victims, aged between 18 and 20, were reportedly lured from Kaduna to Lagos with promises of legitimate employment at a restaurant.
However, upon arriving in the Ajegunle area of Lagos on May 23, they allegedly discovered that the job offer was a cover for a plan to send them abroad for prostitution.
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According to information obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), one of the victims became suspicious after learning of the suspect’s alleged intentions and immediately objected to the arrangement.
A police source disclosed that the young woman informed the suspect that prostitution was never part of the agreement and that they had travelled to Lagos believing they were coming for genuine employment opportunities.
“She immediately told the suspect that prostitution was not what they had been told they were coming to Lagos for,” the source said.
The source further revealed that the suspect allegedly took the girls to a motor park in preparation for their movement out of the country.
“The suspect allegedly took the girls to a motor park with plans to facilitate their movement out of the country.
“Alarmed by the development, one of the victims approached the police and lodged a complaint.
“Following the report, detectives launched an investigation and subsequently apprehended the suspect,” the source added.
Following the complaint, detectives launched an investigation that led to the arrest of the suspect.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Tijani, subsequently ordered that the case be transferred from the Tolu Police Division in Ajegunle to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for a thorough investigation.
The case is currently being handled by the Anti-Human Trafficking/Gender Unit of the SCID under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the department, Mr. Dayo Akinbisehin.
Investigators are probing allegations of conspiracy, deception and human trafficking, while efforts are ongoing to rescue other victims reportedly being held by an accomplice and identify additional members of the suspected trafficking network.
The police source also disclosed that the victims were never informed about the alleged plan before leaving Kaduna and that one of them became alarmed only after learning of the intention to transport them abroad for prostitution.
Authorities said investigations have been concluded and the suspect is expected to be charged to court soon.
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