The Defence Headquarters has clarified the identities of the suspects arrested in connection with the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church Owo in Ondo State.
Speaking during a media parley on Tuesday in Abuja, Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor announced the arrest of the killers of the church worshippers.
Irabor, however, listed a Kuje Prison escapee, Idris Ojo among the suspects arrested for the attack on the church
Meanwhile, Ojo escaped from Kuje Prison when the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) invaded the facility exactly one month after the Owo attack.
In a statement on Wednesday by the Spokesman of the Defence Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. Jimmy Akpor, said the clarification became necessary because of the conflicting feedback on the earlier announcement.
Akpor said that Irabor had confirmed the arrest of four suspects through the collaborative efforts of the military and DSS personnel at Eika, in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State on August 1.
He said: “Those arrested included Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (a.k.a Bin Malik), Momoh Otohu Abubakar, Aliyu Yusuf Itopa and Auwal Ishaq Onimisi.
“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.”
Akpor said Irabor also mentioned the arrest of Ojo, who was apprehended at Ayetoro Osi, Ondo State through the combined effort of military and DSS personnel on August 7.
He said the Defence Chief was one of the suspected ISWAP terrorists who escaped from the Kuje Medium Correctional Centre on July 5, stating that he was not part of the Owo attack.
Akpro added that Irabor said the Kuje Prison escapee was already planning terrorist attacks against some selected targets in the country.
“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 said.
