KEY POINTS

• DSS operatives arrested a sixth suspect linked to the 2022 Owo church massacre that killed at least 40 worshippers.
• Five other suspects are already in custody and facing prosecution for the attack.
• The newly captured suspect allegedly evaded arrest for years, moving from Kano to Edo before being tracked down.

Operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, have arrested a sixth suspect allegedly involved in the 2022 massacre at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, where gunmen killed at least 40 worshippers during a service.

Authorities had earlier detained five other suspects—Idris Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris, and Momoh Otuho Abubakar—who are currently undergoing prosecution over their alleged roles in the attack claimed by Islamic State West Africa Province.

Years of Evasion Ends in Edo Community

Security sources said the newly arrested suspect, identified as Sani Yusuf, had managed to evade arrest for nearly four years and was considered one of Nigeria’s most wanted fugitives.

He was tracked and apprehended in Iguosa community along Powerline in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.

According to intelligence reports, Yusuf initially fled to Kano State shortly after the church attack before relocating to the quiet Edo community, where he reportedly lived in hiding until his arrest.