Nearly four years after the deadly assault on St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, operatives of the Department of State Services have apprehended an alleged sixth member of the terror cell accused of carrying out the massacre that plunged the nation into mourning in June 2022.
Security sources identified the suspect as Sani Yusuf, who was reportedly tracked and arrested in Edo State following years of intelligence gathering and coordinated surveillance operations by security agencies.
Yusuf is described as a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province. According to sources, he had evaded capture since the church attack, moving between states before eventually settling in a rural community in Edo, where he allegedly kept a low profile.
His arrest, insiders said, was the outcome of sustained covert missions aimed at dismantling the network blamed for the church invasion that sparked national grief and international condemnation.
The DSS is already prosecuting five suspects: Idris Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47), over their alleged roles in acts of terrorism linked to the Owo incident.
Sources further disclosed that after the church attack, Yusuf reportedly fled to Kano before relocating to Edo State. He is said to have admitted involvement in both the planning and execution of the Owo assault.
In addition, Yusuf allegedly confessed to participating in other attacks attributed to ISWAP, including the July 2022 Suleja military barracks incident and a series of kidnappings in Kaduna State and surrounding areas.
“He admitted his role in the Owo church attack, the Zuma Rock checkpoint assault, which claimed the lives of five soldiers, and several ISWAP kidnap operations,” a source revealed.
Another security source stated that Yusuf had operated under senior ISWAP figures, including Abu Ikirimah, who was arrested by the DSS in 2024.
“This arrest marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the Owo church attack and the soldiers killed at the Zuma Rock checkpoint in Suleja and underscores the relentless campaign by the DSS in the fight against terrorism,” the source declared.
What You Should Know
The arrest of the alleged sixth suspect represents a major development in the long-running investigation into the 2022 Owo church attack.
Security agencies say the operation reflects years of coordinated intelligence work aimed at dismantling ISWAP cells operating within Nigeria. The DSS is currently prosecuting five other suspects connected to the case, while authorities continue broader counterterrorism efforts nationwide.
The suspect’s reported confessions linking him to additional attacks may expand ongoing investigations and prosecutions as the government intensifies efforts to curb extremist violence and strengthen national security operations.
