Prosecution witness in Owo church attack trial identifies two defendants and recounts escaping with a damaged leg from an explosive device during the June 2022 attack

In the ongoing trial of five men accused of attacking St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo on 5 June 2022, a prosecution witness has identified two defendants and described the chaos during the attack.

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The second witness, whose identity is protected, identified Al Qasim Idris and Abdulhaleem Idris as participants in the assault.

He recounted hearing gunshots, seeing explosions, and the panic among worshippers as attackers moved through the church, shooting and throwing explosives.

Another female witness, also shielded by the court, described how a dynamite device exploded near her, seriously injuring her left leg.

She showed the court the damage, which required four surgeries and a skin graft, leaving an iron implant.

She also described seeing family members killed, including her two-year-old cousin, and witnessing over 40 people die instantly while more than 100 others were injured.

The testimonies highlighted the attackers’ actions and the extreme violence of the Owo church attack.

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Cross-examinations by the defence questioned the witnesses’ identification, while the court continues to hear evidence in the trial led by the Department of State Services (DSS).