DSS Arrests Sixth Suspect in Owo Church Attack

The Department of State Services (DSS) agents have detained Sani Yusuf, who is suspected to be the sixth member of the terror cell that carried out the June 2022 attack on the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo that left the country in mourning.

Security sources said Yusuf, described as a high-profile commander of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), was captured in Edo State after years of intelligence-led surveillance.

He had reportedly evaded arrest by relocating across states and living in a rural community.

According to sources, Yusuf has confessed to involvement in the Owo church attack and other ISWAP operations, including the July 2022 Suleja military barracks attack, kidnappings in Kaduna State, and the Zuma Rock checkpoint assault, which claimed the lives of five soldiers.

DSS Arrests Sixth Suspect in Owo Church Attack — Sani Yusuf. Credit: NTA

“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,” the source disclosed.

The DSS is currently prosecuting five individuals: Idris Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47) for their alleged roles in the Owo attack.

A security official said, “This arrest marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the Owo church attack, the soldiers killed at Zuma Rock checkpoint in Suleja, and underscores the relentless campaign by the DSS in the fight against terrorism.”

Author

Jimisayo Opanuga

Jimisayo Opanuga is a web writer in the Digital Department at News Central TV, where she covers African and international stories. Her reporting focuses on social issues, health, justice, and the environment, alongside general-interest news. She is passionate about telling stories that inform the public and give voice to underreported communities.