June 5 Owo Massacre Eyewitness: Survivor Mojisola Benson Recounts Escape, Injury, and the Loss of Her Grandmother in Ondo Church Attack
The mass shooting at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo on June 5, 2022, is etched in the memory of Nigerians as a day of sorrow and terror. Survivor Mojisola Adunni Benson, 50, lived through the nightmare and now shares her emotional and harrowing story.
That morning, the church was filled with calm and prayers – until it was torn apart by a sudden explosion. Chaos followed, with gunshots ringing out and worshippers falling all around. Mojisola vividly remembers the horrifying sight of bodies scattered across the floor.
She managed to flee through a window, injuring herself in the process. Her only thought was for her elderly grandmother, whom she had brought to church. As the violence escalated, Mojisola found shelter in nearby bushes, trembling and praying as bullets flew and voices of the gunmen threatened more bloodshed.
When the police finally arrived, survivors began to emerge. But for Mojisola, the discovery of her grandmother’s lifeless body marked the darkest moment of the ordeal. The trauma, grief, and fear from that fateful day still haunt her, echoing the senselessness of the massacre.
