Govt should find, punish massacre sponsors, says woman who lost legs, eye
Four years after the deadly attack on worshippers at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, survivors and families of victims say the pain has not eased, even after a Federal High Court sentenced four suspects to death by hanging over the incident.
On June 5, 2022, gunmen stormed the church during Sunday Mass and opened fire on congregants in one of the most shocking attacks on a place of worship in Nigeria. At least 41 people were killed and more than 100 others injured.
What followed was years of grief, recovery efforts, and a prolonged search for justice that eventually led to the recent convictions.
On Wednesday, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja sentenced four terrorists to death by hanging for their roles in the terrorist attack.
Those sentenced to death were Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), and Abdulhaleem Idris (25).
However, for survivors, the court verdict is only a legal conclusion, not an emotional one. They maintain that the verdict represents only one phase of a painful journey that has stretched for four years. While they welcome the judgment, many insist that true justice goes beyond convictions and death sentences.
Among those still living with the consequences is Mrs. Folayemi Margret Attah, whose life changed permanently on that day. She lost both legs and her left eye in the attack and has remained dependent on a wheelchair since then.
While she appreciates the conviction of the four suspects, she insists that the judgment does not address what she believes is the deeper structure behind the attack.
She said, “These people who were sentenced are only tools. There are sponsors behind them. The government should find those sponsors and do something about them. They should also address the issue of insecurity in Nigeria, like the kidnappings that have been happening. They should find a way to rescue those who have been abducted and return them to their families. They should improve security in our country.”
For her, the idea of closure remains distant. She said no court ruling can undo what was done to her body or restore what she lost.
“Executing them will not bring back my legs or my eye. They should do whatever they want with them. Those who died cannot come back. We will soon be marking the fourth anniversary of the incident. The solution is for the government to provide us with security. Insecurity is becoming something else,” she lamented.
Her struggle did not end with survival. She explained that although the government covered the cost of her treatment at the hospital, her rehabilitation has been disappointing.
“They brought artificial legs for me, but I have never been able to use them,” she said. “They adjusted them several times, but I still cannot walk. I have been in a wheelchair for four years,” Mrs Attah said in a tearful voice.
Another victim, Imisioluwa, carries a different but equally devastating burden. She lost her husband, a police officer, and her two children in the same attack.
She said the court judgment had not changed her reality or reduced her suffering.
“The judgment cannot bring back my husband and my children. Whether they are sentenced or not, my life has already been destroyed.”
Beyond the grief, she said she has been left to struggle with survival and raising her remaining five children alone.
Adding Insult to Injury
