Two witnesses, on Tuesday, narrated how gunmen stormed and killed over 40 worshippers at St. Francis Savier Catholic Church, Owo town, Ondo state, on June 5, 2022.
The two prosecution witnesses, who were called by the Department of State Service (DSS) in the on going trial of those held in connection to the terror attack told Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja, that the attackers stormed the Church, locked up the main entrance door and fired several gun shots at the worshippers.
A lady witness code named SSB, disclosed the court how the unknown gunmen forced their ways into the Church, fired gun shots at the choir gallery during which heavy pandemonium took over the Church.
According to her, an explosive dynamite was set at her head to blow her up for having audacity to raise her head when one of the gunmen was talking, but that she swiftly moved her body only for her left leg to be shattered by the heavy explosion of the dynamite.
The female witness, SSB, who was led in evidence by the DSS lawyer, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), showed the damaged left leg to the court upon permission to do so.
She confirmed that the damaged leg was operated four times by medical experts before she could manage it to walk.
She noted that iron was fixed in the leg to support it and that the iron had not been removed from the leg till date.
She said that her brother’s cousin of two years was not lucky during the attack as he was shot from the back of his head and died on the spot.
The second witness code named SSC had earlier narrated the same story of the attack and how 40 worshippers were counted dead shortly after the gunmen left the scene of the attack.
He confirmed that the Church was bombed three times with dynamite which resulted in serious damagoe to the Church.
The two witnesses confirmed that they were invited by DSS at its Akure office where they volunteered their statements on May 26, 2024.
Besides, an additional exhibits by the Department of the State Service DSS were tendered and admitted against the accused persons.
They are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25 years), Al Qasim Idris (20 years), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26 years), Abdulhaleem Idris (25 years) and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47 years).
Abdullahi Auwal Mohammed stood for defence of the five defendants.
Justice Emeka Nwite has fixed January 14 for continuation of trial.