DSS Arrests Sixth Suspect in 2022 Owo Church Massacre

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a sixth suspect linked to the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, where over 40 worshippers were killed and several others injured.

Security sources said the suspect, identified as Sani Yusuf, was apprehended in Iguosa community along the Powerline axis of Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State after evading arrest for nearly four years.

The Owo church attack remains one of the deadliest assaults on a place of worship in Nigeria in recent history.
The DSS is currently prosecuting five other suspects Idris Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47) over their alleged roles in the incident.

According to the sources, Yusuf, described as a senior commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), fled to Kano State shortly after the attack before relocating to Edo State, where he reportedly blended into the community.

A security source disclosed that DSS operatives had trailed Yusuf for years before successfully arresting him.
The source further alleged that the suspect confessed to participating in the planning and execution of the Owo church massacre.

He was also said to have admitted involvement in other terrorist operations attributed to ISWAP, including the July 2022 attack on a military barracks in Suleja, Niger State, the assault on soldiers at the Zuma Rock checkpoint, and kidnapping operations in Kaduna State and surrounding areas.

Another source claimed Yusuf operated under senior ISWAP commanders, including Abu Ikirimah, who was reportedly arrested by the DSS in 2024.

Security officials described the arrest as a major breakthrough in ongoing efforts to ensure accountability for victims of the Owo attack and other related incidents, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to tackling terrorism nationwide.

The DSS has yet to issue an official statement on the development.