Ondo State is currently grappling with heightened security concerns following two significant incidents: the abduction of worshippers from a church and the arrest of a key figure linked to a past terror attack. In the early hours of Wednesday, February 25, gunmen invaded a Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) in Uso, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, abducting six worshippers during an early-morning service. Eyewitness accounts indicated that the armed men stormed the church premises along the Owo–Akure Expressway, causing panic among the congregation before forcefully taking away the victims to an unknown destination.

The Ondo State Police Command, through its spokesperson DSP Abayomi Jimoh, confirmed the incident, stating that security operatives, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and local vigilante groups, immediately mobilized to the scene and commenced coordinated rescue operations. As a result of these sustained joint efforts, one of the kidnapped victims has been successfully rescued. Additionally, one suspect, identified as an informant linked to the incident, has been arrested and is currently assisting with ongoing investigations. Jimoh assured the public that security operations are continuing to ensure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and the apprehension of all perpetrators involved, while urging residents to remain calm, vigilant, and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible and actionable information. This abduction comes just four days after assailants also abducted a couple at Ilu-Abo community in Akure North LGA, highlighting a worrying uptick in gunmen attacks and growing security challenges in the state since the turn of the year.

Adding another critical development to the security landscape, the Department of State Services (DSS), also known as the State Security Services (SSS), has announced a major breakthrough in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State. After four years in hiding, a “high-profile commander” of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), identified as Sani Yusuf, has been arrested.

Yusuf’s apprehension occurred in the Iguosa community, along Powerline Road in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State. According to security sources, Yusuf, a key figure in ISWAP, had temporarily fled to Kano after the Owo church attack before relocating to the sleepy community in Edo State where he was eventually apprehended. He has reportedly confessed to his involvement in the planning and execution of the devastating Owo church massacre, which left over 40 worshippers dead and several others injured. Furthermore, he admitted to his role in other terrorist activities by ISWAP, including the July 2022 Suleja military barracks attack (also known as the Zuma Rock checkpoint assault that killed five soldiers) and various kidnapping operations in Kaduna State and environs.

Sani Yusuf is the sixth suspect to be arrested in connection with the horrific 2022 Owo attack. The DSS is currently prosecuting five other suspects—Idris Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47)—for allegedly masterminding the massacre. Yusuf reportedly served under other top ISWAP commanders, including Abu Ikirimah, who was arrested by the SSS in 2024. The Service described Yusuf’s arrest as a significant milestone in its sustained campaign against terrorism and the pursuit of justice for all victims.

The Owo region and its environs, in the northern part of Ondo State, along with other north-central states like Kwara, have increasingly become hotbeds of banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and terrorist attacks. Perpetrators often target soft targets such as schools and places of worship to carry out mass abductions. Security agencies continue to appeal to residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with them by providing timely and credible information to help combat these security threats effectively.