Catholic Priest Gives Emotional Testimony In Court
A Catholic priest on Thursday delivered a chilling testimony before the Federal High Court in Abuja, recounting how terrorists armed with explosives stormed St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, on 5 June 2022, killing 40 worshippers.
The priest, whose identity was withheld for security reasons, testified in the trial of five alleged Al Shabab members accused of carrying out the deadly attack. He revealed that the assailants detonated at least three explosives inside the church.
Speaking behind a protective shield, the priest told the court that the mass was nearing its end when sudden gunfire erupted, triggering panic among the congregation.
He explained that he had been assigned to lead the community in the Holy Mass that day, which happened to be the First Pentecost Sunday and had drawn a large turnout.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Mr Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, the priest, identified only as PW-1 and referred to as “SSA,” described the day as one permanently etched in his memory.
He said, “This was the day a violent attack was launched on us, myself and the entire worshipping community of St Francis Catholic Church, Owo. The incident led to the death of more than 40 of our members. Some were maimed, and many still live with permanent injuries.
“The attack came towards the end of the worship. I was performing the last rites and the people had begun singing the recessional hymn when I heard a loud sound. I looked at the congregation and saw commotion. Initially, I thought someone had fallen.
“But I then noticed two men, members of our community, rushing to lock the main entrance. An elder ran to me at the sanctuary and said, ‘Father, we are under attack’.
“From that moment, I heard continuous gunfire outside the church. The elder insisted, ‘Father, you have to leave.’”
The priest said he hesitated at first because he was worried about the children, who often clung to him.
“Some adults and I moved the children to a safe section attached to the church. While there, the gunfire continued. I heard at least three explosions. The third landed close to where we were hiding — the effect felt like the ground was opening beneath us,” he said.
He added that after the attackers fled, parishioners came to alert them. As he stepped out, he found his choir master shot in the chest.
“He asked me to pray for him. I did, but I told him we had to get him to the hospital. Outside, I saw bodies on the floor. I shouted for anyone who could still drive to help move victims to hospital.”
He recounted making two trips to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owo to ferry casualties.
“By my second trip, ambulances from FMC Owo and St Louis Catholic Hospital were already transporting victims. The emergency ward was filled with the dead and the injured. The wailing was overwhelming — I could not even drive again,” he said.
He later submitted a statement to the Department of State Services (DSS) in Akure.
During cross-examination by defence lawyer Abdullahi Mohammad, the priest said he could not identify the attackers due to the chaos and his urgent focus on rescuing victims.
“With the commotion and my priority to save the children, I could not identify those who carried out the attack. I do not know their number,” he told the court.
Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the trial to 13 and 14 January 2026 for continuation.
