Owo terror attack: Kogi community petitions NHRC, says arrested suspects innocent

The Eika Solidarity Forum in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State has petitioned the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, over the arrest and indictment of some of its members linked to the June 5th Owo Church Attack in Ondo State.

In the letter of petition addressed to the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, titled “Petition on Gross Violations of Human Rights and incarceration of Abubakar Otuhuo Momoh and three others by Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor”, the group vouched for the characters of the suspects whom they claimed were innocent.

“The appeal titled, is in respect of Abubakar Otuhuo Momoh, who is a community leader, trained laboratory technician and the proprietor of the Jamaatul Muslimeen Academy, Eika

“He was arrested alongside two of his JSS 2 students, Aliyu Yusuf and Ishaq Awal including Idris Malik, a trainee Nurse

”Sir, we the Members of Eika Ohizenyi Solidarity Forum wish to appeal to your offices to intervene in the arrest and subsequent parading of four of our members for alleged involvement in the shooting at Owo Catholic Church, Ondo state.

“Although human beings could be unpredictable, we are convinced about the impeccable characters of Abubakar Otuhuo Momoh, a former Community leader, a trained Laboratory technician, proprietor, Jamaatul Muslimeen Academy Eika”, the Forum stated

According to the petition, Otuhuo Momoh was arrested on the first of August, 2022 alongside Idris Abdulmalik, a trainee Nurse, and two SS2 students of his School, Masters Aliyu Yusuf and Ishaq Awwal in their homes.

”In as much as we may not want to preempt the security agencies on how to do their job, we believe that they were hasty in arriving at the conclusion.

“We have known them for many years in the community without a trace of criminal tendencies, hence, we were shocked to see them being paraded for a grievous crime of shooting worshippers in a hallowed Catholic Church in Owo Ondo state.

“Although, the Security Agencies said the investigation is ongoing, we charge them to be discreet and above board to avoid the innocent being punished for the offence they did not commit.

”We believe that they should be treated as innocent until proved otherwise by the competent Court of Law.

“However, we urge your good offices to ensure that their Fundamental Human Rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, Chapter 2 and Chapter 4 is guaranteed. We count on your prompt action please.”

Recall that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor had confirmed that the criminals who carried out the deadly attack on a Catholic Church in Owo were arrested in Kogi state.

The Army Chief said Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza was the mastermind of the terror attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owo and a Police station attack in Kogi State that claimed the life of a police officer.

Speaking at the chief of defence staff parley with editors and media executives in Abuja, he gave his name as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza.

“Omeiza is one of the masterminds of the 5th June attack of the Catholic Church in Owo as well as the attack on a police station in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State that led to the killing of a policeman as well as weapons carted away,” he disclosed.

He was arrested on the 1st of August, 2022 at Eika Okehi Kogi State during an operation with other branches of security.

Also arrested on the 7th of August at Aiyetoro C in Ondo State is Idris Ojo, age 32, whom the CDS described as “one of the high profile ISWAP terrorist that escaped from Kuje.”

“Idris Ojo wasn’t done with his previous activities but was planning other deadly attacks along with his cronies before his arrest,” General Irabor said.

Other suspected terrorists arrested he said, are Momoh Ojo Abubakar, Aliyu Yusuf Itopa, and Auwal Ishaq Onimisi.