A suspect in the ongoing trial related to the 2022 St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church attack in Owo, Ondo State, told the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) threatened to feed him to crocodiles if he did not confess to involvement in the massacre.

The suspect, Al-Qasim Idris, testified before Justice Emeka Nwite that he and other defendants were subjected to maltreatment while in DSS custody. Idris said that after being hospitalised for three days due to abuse, he was moved to an underground cell where a female DSS officer questioned him about his alleged involvement.

“After the three days, they took us from the hospital to an underground cell. Two days later, I was called out to meet a lady DSS officer. She said she was the one in charge of my case, but she didn’t give her name… She said I was lying and not telling her the truth. I told her I was saying the truth, I didn’t do anything, and I was innocent,” Idris told the court.

The officer reportedly threatened him, saying, “I would spend 50 years there, and my people won’t know, and if I die in the course of my detention, they will give my dead body to crocodiles to feed on because they had one.” Idris said he maintained his innocence and left his fate to God.

He further stated that DSS operatives forced him to answer questions on a written statement, responding “yes” to answers he knew and “I don’t know” to others. The officer also probed personal details, including his name, age, occupation, parents’ names, family contacts, and even questioned the identity of a contact saved as “Aunty” on his phone.

Idris also recounted threats from another male DSS officer, identified as Segun Kayode, who allegedly told him that orders had been given for his execution, but he was being granted “one chance” to tell the truth. Idris explained that he and two other defendants were later questioned about locations shown on their mobile phones during the attack, clarifying discrepancies by stating that he and his father were at their farm in Elegbeka, near Omi-Alafia, at the time.

Justice Nwite adjourned the trial until March 26 to continue proceedings.