Gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday, 25 February, 2026 abducted five worshippers at a branch of Celestial Church of Christ in Uso, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, reports thegazellenews.com.
The latest church attack comes almost four years after the terror attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, in which 41 people were killed and 140 others injured in Ondo State.
It was gathered that the armed men stormed the church at about 1:00 a.m. while a service was ongoing, abducted the worshippers and took them to an unknown destination.
Ondo State Police Command Public Relations officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, who confirmed the incident in a message sent newsmen in Akure, the state capital on Wednesday, 25 February, 2026, said, “Upon receiving the report, operatives of the command, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and local vigilante groups, immediately mobilised to the scene and commenced coordinated rescue operations.”
Jimoh disclosed that one of the victims has been rescued, while one suspect has been apprehended.
“As a result of sustained joint efforts, one of the kidnapped victims has been successfully rescued.
“Additionally, one suspect linked to the incident has been arrested and has made useful statements that are assisting with ongoing investigations,” he said.
The state police image-maker, who added that operations are ongoing to ensure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and the arrest of all perpetrators involved, urged residents of the area to remain calm, vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible and actionable information that may aid ongoing operations.
Thegazellenews.com recalled that on Tuesday, 24 February, 2026, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) reportedly arrested the sixth person allegedly involved in the 2022 attack.
The DSS is currently prosecuting five persons — Idris Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47) — for allegedly carrying out acts of terrorism.
A security source disclosed that DSS operatives, who had been on his trail for years, arrested the sixth suspect, identified as Sani Yusuf, in the Iguosa community along Powerline in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.
