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Fresh fears have gripped Ondo State following the abduction of five worshippers during a midnight church service in Uso, Owo Local Government Area, even as operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) announced the arrest of the sixth suspect linked to the 2022 massacre at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo.
The latest incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday when gunmen stormed a branch of the Celestial Church of Christ in Uso at about 1:00 a.m. while a service was ongoing. The attackers abducted five worshippers and fled to an unknown destination.
Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said security operatives, working in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and local vigilante groups, swiftly mobilised to the scene and commenced coordinated rescue operations.
“Upon receiving the report, operatives of the command, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and local vigilante groups, immediately mobilised to the scene and commenced coordinated rescue operations,” Jimoh stated.
He disclosed that one of the victims has been successfully rescued, while one suspect linked to the incident has been apprehended.
“As a result of sustained joint efforts, one of the kidnapped victims has been successfully rescued. Additionally, one suspect linked to the incident has been arrested and has made useful statements that are assisting with ongoing investigations,” he added.
According to the police spokesperson, operations are ongoing to secure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and ensure the arrest of all perpetrators involved. He urged residents to remain calm, vigilant, and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible and actionable information.
DSS Nabs Sixth Suspect in Owo Massacre
The attack comes nearly four years after the June 5, 2022 terror assault on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, where 41 worshippers were killed and 140 others injured in one of the deadliest attacks in the state’s history.
In a significant breakthrough related to that attack, DSS operatives have arrested the sixth suspect allegedly involved in the massacre. For nearly four years, the suspect reportedly evaded arrest, making him one of the country’s most wanted fugitives.
Security sources identified the suspect as Sani Yusuf, who was apprehended in the Iguosa community along Powerline in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State after years of tracking by intelligence operatives.
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) — for allegedly carrying out acts of terrorism connected to the 2022 church attack.
According to security sources, Yusuf was described as a high-profile commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). He reportedly fled to Kano shortly after the Owo attack before relocating to Edo State.
Sources further disclosed that Yusuf confessed to his involvement in the planning and execution of the Owo church attack. He also allegedly admitted participation in other ISWAP operations, including the July 2022 attack on the Suleja military barracks, kidnappings in Kaduna State and its environs, and the Zuma Rock checkpoint assault which claimed the lives of five soldiers.
Another source revealed that Yusuf served under other ISWAP commanders, including Abu Ikirimah, who was arrested by the DSS in 2024.
Security officials described the arrest as a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the Owo church massacre and the soldiers killed at the Zuma Rock checkpoint, noting that it underscores the agency’s sustained campaign against terrorism.
Meanwhile, Ondo State has witnessed a surge in the activities of armed bandits in recent months, with kidnappings on the rise across the South-West state.
On January 26, residents of Ilu-Abo community in Akure North Local Government Area staged a peaceful protest over increasing abductions, barricading the Airport–Owo Expressway and causing heavy traffic along the axis. The protest followed the kidnapping of a middle-aged woman, Oladeinde Tomilola, at the entrance of her residence.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants shot at her vehicle, damaging its fuel tank and tyres before abducting her. Two neighbours who attempted to intervene were shot — one in the head and another in the stomach — and rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment. A woman and her 11-year-old daughter passing through the area reportedly sustained varying degrees of injuries from the gunfire.
Following that attack, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, CP Adebowale Lawal, visited the community to assess the situation and engage with residents. According to the police spokesperson, the commissioner condemned the attack in strong terms and reassured residents that existing security frameworks had been reinforced with additional tactical and intelligence-driven measures to ensure the swift arrest of perpetrators and prevent future occurrences.
As security agencies intensify rescue efforts in the Uso church abduction and deepen investigations into the broader network behind previous attacks, residents of Ondo State remain on edge amid rising concerns over safety and the persistence of violent crime.
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