Secret Police Arrest Sixth Suspect Linked to Owo Church Massacre

The Department of State Services has arrested another major suspect connected to the deadly attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo. The incident happened in Ondo State on June 5, 2022.

The secret police identified the new suspect as Sani Yusuf. His arrest brings the total number of suspects caught for the massacre to six.

The violent church attack resulted in the death of over 40 worshippers and left many others with severe injuries.

The government is already prosecuting five other individuals for their roles in the attack. The five suspects currently facing trial are Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar.

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Security sources revealed that operatives tracked Yusuf down and arrested him in the Iguosa community. This area is located along the Powerline in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.

A security report detailed the movement of the suspect before his capture.

“According to the source, Yusuf, a high-profile commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province, had after the Owo church attack, temporarily slipped into Kano before deciding to relocate to the sleepy community in Edo State,” the report stated.

Following his arrest, Yusuf admitted to his involvement in planning and carrying out the Owo church killings.

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“The source further disclosed that Yusuf has since confessed to being involved in the planning and execution of the Owo church massacre,” the report noted.

He also confessed to taking part in several other terrorist operations across the country.

“He confessed to other terrorist attacks by ISWAP, including the July 2022 Suleja military barracks attack, and kidnappings in Kaduna State and environs,” the security source revealed.

During interrogation, Yusuf disclosed that he worked under other senior terrorist commanders. One of his former bosses was Abu Ikirimah, whom the secret police successfully arrested in 2024.