The Defence Headquarters on Thursday disclosed that two more suspected terrorists linked to the June 5, 2022 attack in Owo, Ondo State, have been arrested.
Suspected terrorists had in June stormed the St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, and killed no fewer than 40 worshippers during a Sunday service.
Religion Nigeria had on Tuesday reported that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, announced the arrest of some suspected terrorists including the masterminds of Owo attack.
Giving an update on the development, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Jimmy Akpor, in a statement on Thursday, said, “Recall that the Chief of Defence Staff during his parley with media executives and editors yesterday, Tuesday 9 August 2022, informed of the arrest of 4 terrorists among those who carried out the attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo on 5 June 2022.
“They were arrested through a combined operation by military and DSS personnel at Eika, Okehi LGA, Kogi State on 1 August 2022. Those arrested include Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (a.k.a Bin Malik), Momoh Otohu Abubakar, Aliyu Yusuf Itopa and Auwal Ishaq Onimisi.
“Barely few hours after the disclosure by the CDS of the arrest of four of the Owo Catholic Church attackers, two additional ISWAP terrorists, who were also connected to the attack on the church were apprehended at Omialafara (Omulafa), Ose LGA, Ondo State yesterday, August 9 2022.
“The arrests were made through the collaborative effort by military and DSS personnel. The suspects are Al-Qasim Idris and Abdulhaleem Idris.”