A claim that nobody was arrested over the killing of over 40 worshippers in Owo town, Ondo State has gone viral on X.
An X user, @Fagbohun_AB posted the claim with a caption thus:
“I just Randomly remember the Killings that happened at OWO church, Ondo in 2023. I remembered the videos and pictures of people killed in the cold hands of death, blood splashed everywhere. Till date, nobody was arrested, The case has been shut silent.. No justice, nothing at all.”
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The post has garnered more than 700,000 views plus over 5,000 repost and more than 13,000 likes as of April 1, 2025.
CLAIM
Nobody was arrested over Owo church killing.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE; at least six suspects reportedly involved in the Owo church killing were arrested by Nigerian security operatives.
Recall that on June 5, 2022, St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, was attacked by gunmen during a Pentecost Sunday service, resulting in the deaths of at least 40 worshippers while many others suffered varying injuries. The assailants detonated explosives and fired multiple gunshots into the congregation during service, marking one of the deadliest attacks on a religious institution in Nigeria’s recent history.
The gruesome attack shocked the nation and sparked widespread outrage, with many calling for urgent action to address insecurity in the country. In the aftermath of the attack, the Nigerian government blamed the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a terrorist group linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), for orchestrating the massacre. However, ISWAP did not officially claim responsibility for the attack.
However, security agencies launched investigations and later announced multiple arrests of suspects linked to the incident. For instance, in August 2022, a joint operation by the military and the Department of State Services (DSS) led to the apprehension of four suspects in Eika, Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The individuals arrested were identified as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (also known as Bin Malik), who was pinpointed as the mastermind behind the Owo church attack, along with Momoh Otohu Abubakar, Aliyu Yusuf Itopa, and Auwal Ishaq Onimisi.
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Further efforts culminated in the arrest of two additional suspects, Al-Qasim Idris and Abdulhaleem Idris, on August 9, 2022, in Omialafara (Omulafa), Ose Local Government Area, Ondo State. These arrests, involving at least six suspects, were the result of collaborative operations between military and DSS personnel.
THE VERDICT
The claim that nobody was arrested over Owo church killing is FALSE; at least, six suspects were arrested by the Nigerian security agents in connection to the attack, according to credible media reports.
Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.
