A Catholic priest identified only as “SSA” has given a detailed account of the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. He testified as the first prosecution witness in the trial of five men charged by the Department of State Services (DSS) in connection with the tragic incident that claimed the lives of more than forty worshippers and left many others injured.
The priest told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the attack occurred toward the end of the Pentecost Sunday mass, which he presided over. According to him, worshippers had begun singing the recessional hymn when a loud sound rang out, followed by persistent gunfire from outside the building. He said the noise immediately caused panic within the congregation. Two members of the church were said to have rushed to lock the main entrance, while an elder hurried to the sanctuary to inform him that the church was under attack.
He explained that he initially hesitated to leave the sanctuary but eventually moved, along with some adults, to usher children into a small attached building that served as a safe space. While they took shelter there, he continued to hear gunfire and what sounded like multiple explosive devices. One of the blasts, he said, landed close to where they were hiding and felt strong enough to shake the ground.
When the attackers eventually departed, some church members alerted him that it was safe to come out. As he stepped outside with the children, he saw several victims on the ground, including the choir master, who asked him to pray for him before being taken to the hospital. The priest joined others in transporting the injured to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, and St. Louis Catholic Hospital. He described the emergency ward at FMC as already crowded with victims by the time he returned with more casualties, and said the cries and distress in the hospital made it difficult for him to continue driving.
He later gave a statement to the DSS in Akure. Under cross-examination by defence counsel Abdullahi Mohammad, the priest said he did not know how many attackers were involved, explaining that the chaos of the moment and his focus on protecting the children prevented him from seeing or identifying them.
Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecuting lawyer, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), informed the court that the charge sheet had been amended to correct minor errors. The amended charges were read to the defendants, who all pleaded not guilty. Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter to January 13 and 14 of next year for further hearing.
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