Edo State, Nigeria – February 25, 2026
Nearly four years after the deadly attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Sani Yusuf, the alleged sixth member of the terror cell responsible for the massacre that shocked Nigeria in June 2022.
Sources said Yusuf, identified as a high-ranking commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), had evaded arrest for years, relocating across multiple states before settling in a rural Edo State community where he lived under the radar.
His capture follows years of intelligence-led surveillance and coordinated operations aimed at dismantling the network behind the church massacre, which left scores dead and drew global condemnation.
Confessions and Other Attacks
Security sources revealed that Yusuf has confessed to his involvement not only in the Owo church attack but also in other ISWAP operations, including the July 2022 Suleja military barracks attack and multiple kidnappings in Kaduna State and surrounding areas.
“He admitted his role in the Owo church attack, the Zuma Rock checkpoint assault—which claimed five soldiers’ lives—and several ISWAP kidnapping operations,” a source said.
Yusuf reportedly served under prominent ISWAP commanders, including Abu Ikirimah, who was arrested by the DSS in 2024.
Justice and Counter-Terrorism Milestone
The DSS is currently prosecuting five individuals—Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar—for their alleged roles in the Owo attack. Yusuf’s arrest marks a major breakthrough in the ongoing campaign to bring perpetrators to justice.
“This arrest underscores the relentless efforts by the DSS in the fight against terrorism and represents a significant step toward justice for victims of the Owo church attack and other ISWAP atrocities,” a security official said.
