Hope has been rekindled in Otite, near Okene in Kogi State, as the long-stalled trial over the 2012 Deeper Life Bible Church massacre gains fresh momentum. Victims’ families, survivors, and community members have commended the Department of State Services (DSS) for the re-arrest and swift arraignment of Abdulmalik Abdulazeez Obadaki, the alleged Ansaru terror kingpin linked to the deadly attack.
In a letter addressed to the DSS, the affected community expressed renewed confidence in the justice process following Obadaki’s arraignment before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, shortly after his re-capture. The development is widely regarded as a turning point in a case that has lingered for more than a decade, restoring faith in the judicial system among those directly impacted by the tragedy.
It will be recalled that the August 7, 2012 attack claimed the lives of at least 19 worshippers and left several others injured when gunmen invaded a Bible study session at the church. Obadaki was subsequently linked to other violent crimes, including deadly bank raids. However, his escape during the 2022 Kuje prison jailbreak deepened the anguish of victims’ families and heightened fears that justice might never be served.
Those fears began to fade in November 2025 with his re-arrest and the filing of six terrorism-related charges. Although he pleaded guilty only to escaping lawful custody, the court ordered his continued detention and adjourned the trial to January 26, 2026. As proceedings resume, the people of Otite remain cautiously optimistic that justice—long delayed—may finally be within reach.
