DSS Agent Reveals Phone Tracking Method in Owo Church Massacre Case

In Abuja on Thursday, the Federal High Court heard further particulars on how a suspect associated with the tragic June 2022 massacre at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, was identified utilizing phone tracking methods.

The identification was articulated by the 11th prosecution witness, codenamed SSK to protect his identity, who concluded the prosecution's presentation.

During the proceedings, SSK, a senior agent and digital forensic expert with nearly three decades of experience in the State Security Service (SSS), detailed the techniques employed by his team. He explained that they utilized geospatial network filtering and cell tower triangulation, which narrowed down their search to one of the accused, leading to other suspects.

The defence team is anticipated to begin presenting its case during the next court session scheduled for March.

Focusing on the investigation, SSK indicated that thousands of mobile devices connecting to cell towers in Owo, Elegbeka, and Ifon were assessed. This rigorous filtering process revealed a specific phone number linked to one of the defendants, identified as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza.

By employing the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number—a unique identifier for each mobile device—SSK stated that they successfully pinpointed and apprehended the first defendant.

"No two phones share the same IMEI number, which aided our tracing efforts significantly," he asserted. Furthermore, an analysis of the communication frequency showed calls between three of the identified defendants from March 1 to July 30, 2022, encompassing periods both prior to and following the assault.

The prosecution presented a digital forensic examination report, which the court accepted as Exhibit T. Additionally, a black Techno mobile phone allegedly belonging to the first defendant was submitted and accepted as Exhibit U.

SSK recounted that on June 5, 2022, around 7:23 a.m., the first defendant's phone was triangulated within a 35-kilometer radius of the church, calculating that the distance could be traversed in 30 to 40 minutes by vehicle. Despite the defendant's attempts to evade detection by adhering to a no-call protocol typical of trained terrorists, his phone remained active, thus serving as what SSK described as a "silent witness" to movements before and after the attack.

In cross-examination, the defence counsel A.A. Mohammed scrutinized the qualifications of SSK and requested to review his credentials. SSK clarified, "My appointment is duly gazetted," adding that much of his training was financed by the SSS, and he operates within a covert organization. He opted not to disclose the specific date he began his forensic tasks, citing the need for operational confidentiality, although he confirmed that investigations commenced immediately after the church attack.

SSK noted that the first defendant was arrested in Eika, Kogi State, while others were captured in various locations in Kogi and Ondo States during August.

When questioned about the limited evidence presented, specifically why only one phone was submitted, SSK stated, "I brought only one phone due to its relevance..."

Earlier in the hearing, another SSS investigator, SSJ, testified regarding how four defendants were tracked down through analysis of phone calls. Under questioning, he confirmed he did not directly document the statement of the fifth defendant but acknowledged that the defendant's account was recorded by a different investigator.

The original statement from the fifth defendant, dated November 9, 2022, was presented for acknowledgement in court with no opposition from the defence.

SSJ confirmed he had recorded the statements of the first to fourth defendants separately on August 18, 2022. The interview process, he noted, took about ten hours, with each defendant being individually questioned on that same day.

Following the conclusion of the 11th witness' testimony, the prosecution declared the ending of its case, requesting that provisions be made for an interpreter fluent in Ebira for the five defendants from Kogi State. Judge Emeka Nwite then adjourned the trial for the defence to present its case on March 4 and 5.