DHQ clarifies identities of arrested Ondo church attackers

The Defence Headquarters has given details of the suspects arrested in connection with the June 5 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo in Ondo State.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, had on Tuesday during a parley with media executives and editors revealed the names of the terrorists who masterminded the Owo attack.

The development however elicited reactions from Nigerians as the citizens questioned how one of the arrested suspects, Idris Ojo, who was said to have escaped from Kuje prison in July, was able to launch an attack in Owo in June.

Reacting via a statement issued on Wednesday, the Director, Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Jimmy Akpor, said preliminary investigation revealed that Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza was the mastermind of the terror attack on the Owo Catholic Church and not 32-year-old Idris Ojo.

He noted that Ojo, who was apprehended at Ayetoro Osi in Ondo State through the combined effort of military and DSS personnel on August 7, has no link no link to the attack on the worshippers in the Owo area of the state.

Akpor stated: “Those arrested included Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (a.k.a Bin Malik), Momoh Otohu Abubakar, Aliyu Yusuf Itopa, and Auwal Ishaq Onimisi.

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“The Defence Chief said, preliminary investigation revealed that Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza was the mastermind of the terror attack on the Owo Catholic Church.

“As well as the attack on a Police Station in Adavi Local Government Area, Kogi State on 23 June 2022, during which a policeman was killed and weapons carted away.

“Idris Ojo, the CDS said, was one of the suspected ISWAP terrorists who escaped from the Kuje Medium Correctional Centre on 5th July 2022.

“The CDS also mentioned that Ojo was arrested alongside Jimoh Ibrahim, 39 years, a sympathizer of the terrorist group, who accommodated him.

“The CDS further revealed that, the arrest of Idris Ojo was crucial as he, along with others, were already planning terrorists’ attacks against some selected targets, in order to create fear amongst the citizenry aimed at discrediting the government,” he noted.

The Star