Amotekun officer testifies in Owo church massacre trial
An officer from the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun, told a Federal High Court in Abuja that he identified the second defendant as one of the gunmen involved in the St Francis Catholic Church attack. The officer, code-named SSG, described engaging the attackers in a gun battle and later recognizing the suspect in court. Five people are being prosecuted on terrorism charges over the massacre, which left over 40 worshippers dead and many injured. The case has seen testimonies from both security personnel and a pathologist involved in the aftermath.
What we know
- SSG, an Assistant Commander with Amotekun, said he encountered the attackers in the bush after the church shooting, following tips from eyewitnesses.
- He identified the second defendant in court as the person he saw during a gunfight after the attack.
- The attackers reportedly fled in a blue Nissan vehicle, which was later found abandoned and taken into custody by security agencies.
- A hunter accompanying the security team was killed during the confrontation with the suspects.
- A pathologist, code-named SSF, testified about conducting autopsies on the victims, confirming multiple gunshot injuries as the cause of death.
- The case was adjourned until February 11 for continuation of the trial.
