Operatives of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a sixth suspect linked to the 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, where more than 40 worshippers were killed and several others injured.
The suspect, identified as Sani Yusuf, was reportedly apprehended in the Iguosa community along Powerline in Ovia North Local Government Area of Edo State after evading arrest for nearly four years. Security sources described him as a high-profile commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
According to sources, Yusuf allegedly fled to Kano shortly after the Owo church attack before relocating to Edo State, where he remained in hiding. He is said to have confessed to participating in the planning and execution of the church massacre.
The DSS is already 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 attack.
Security sources further claimed that Yusuf admitted involvement in other terrorist operations attributed to ISWAP, including the July 2022 attack on a military barracks in Suleja, kidnappings in Kaduna State and surrounding areas, and the assault on the Zuma Rock checkpoint that reportedly claimed the lives of five soldiers. He also allegedly revealed that he operated under senior ISWAP commanders, including Abu Ikirimah, who was arrested by the DSS in 2024.
Officials described the arrest as a significant development in the ongoing effort to secure justice for the victims of the Owo church attack and other related incidents, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to combating terrorism across the country.
 has arrested a sixth suspect linked to the 2022 Owo church attack in Ondo State, where over 40 worshippers were killed. The suspect was reportedly captured in Edo State after four years in hiding.){kind=link}