Horror! Another Ozubulu in Ondo
Terrorists attack Catholic Church women, children dead
• Terrorists operating with impunity, govt focused on 2023 elections – CAN
• Condemnations, reassurances no longer comforting – NMA
• Relevant authorities appeared unconcerned – Ohanaeze
• Nigeria’ll not surrender to wicked people — Buhari
There was pandemonium on Sunday at St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, in Owo town, headquarters of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State as some terrorists attacked the church during a Mass service. Owo is the hometown of the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.
It was gathered that no fewer than 40 worshippers, mostly children and women were feared killed as a result of the terror attack.
It was also learnt that the church is less than 200 metres away from the palace of the Olowo of Owo.
A viral 37-second video circulating online shows bodies of some worshippers lying on the floor of the church in the pool of their blood.
A resident of the area who identified himself as Olabamiji said the attack was carried out by some gunmen, who disguised to join the church to worship during the morning Mass but later opened fire at the worshippers. He added that the terrorists threw dynamites inside the church.
“We saw them, they didn’t cover their faces. Initially, we thought they were going into the church for the service not knowing that they were gunmen. Suddenly, we heard gunshots; they directed the guns at anyone on sight, particularly women and children.
“During the period the attack lasted, we did not see any security operative to confront the attackers. We could not even count their number because everybody ran for safety. This is very unfortunate. The attackers fled immediately after they were done and they were not checked.”
A health worker on duty at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, where the casualties were taken to said over 50 people had been brought to the hospital, saying many were dead already while others were still alive.
He said , “They are still bringing people to the hospital. Some have been confirmed dead while others are still breathing. But for now, I can’t specify the number of those died.
A nurse at St. Louis Hospital, Owo, on condition of anonymity confirmed that many casualties were brought to the hospital and he was able to count 12 that were dead on arrival.
“A lot of casualties have been brought here but I can count 12 now that had passed away but we are still trying to save the lives of the remaining, he said.”
A palace source who spoke on condition of anonymity disclosed that the whole area was enveloped with tension and panic.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, said the command had yet to ascertain the cause of the attack and the number of casualties.
“The Commissioner of Police is on his way to the scene to ascertain the cause of the incident. We have been hearing so many things about it but I will get back to you, she promised.” “The CP has deployed the anti-bomb squad at the scene and efforts are being intensified to arrest the perpetrators.”
We will hunt down assailants, make them pay – Akeredolu
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, is deeply saddened by the unprovoked attack and killing of innocent people of Owo, worshiping at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, on Sunday.
The vile and satanic attack is a calculated assault on the peace-loving people of Owo Kingdom who have enjoyed relative peace over the years. Describing it as “a black Sunday in Owo”, in a release signed by Mr. Richard Olatunde, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State, the Governor expressed grief over the wanton killing of Christians on a Sunday morning. According to a Social Media handler, the gory incident occurred few weeks after the Governor restricted the menacing activities of Fulani herdsmen in the state. He further explained that Fulani herdsmen who invaded St. Francis shot sporadically, Leaving many people, both young and old lifeless, while some who were fatally injured were taken to the hospital.
Terrorists operating with impunity, govt focused on 2023 elections, CAN laments
The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria has condemned “the unprovoked attacks and killing of several innocent worshippers” at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo.
The organisation in a statement on Sunday also called on security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators of the “dastardly criminality”.
The statement titled, ‘Owo carnage: No explanation for the carnage’, was signed by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Media Assistant to the CAN President, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle.
The statement read, “This is sad, wrong, condemnable, outrageous, unacceptable and satanic. There is no explanation for this unprovoked attack and assault on a place of worship. This is raw persecution. These people are possessed, demonic and are not working for the good of the country. May God descend heavily on them and fight them mindless agents of Satan from their roots in Jesus’ name.
“We are once again reiterating our quest for a total overhauling of the security architecture and are asking President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the recycling of those criminals and terrorists in the name of de-radicalising programme. If the programme is not counterproductive, how come the criminalities are always on the increase and nowhere is safe again.
“This menace of insecurity has gotten out of hand and is embarrassingly sore.
Criminals are operating with impunity all over the country and unfortunately, our government appears to be so busy with the 2023 general election that it has no time for the unending killings in the country.
“What legacy is the government and those who are the managers of our security architecture leaving behind for the unborn generation? We are praying for the government and the security agencies to get it right before it will be too late.
Ohanaeze condemns Ondo church attack, tasks Amotekun to buckle down
The apex Igbo Socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has condemned the unprovoked attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Ondo State, describing it as evil.
The group said the worrisome aspect of the attack was that the relevant authorities appeared unconcerned.
Ohanaeze’s spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia, who spoke while reacting to the horrific attack on the church, advised the Amotekun Corps to buckle up and defend their people, noting that if they wait for federal security their land would be overrun by Fulani terrorists.
Ogbonnia said, “I know one woman from Ihiala Anambra State and her grandchild were shot and they are already dead. I just finished speaking with their relative and you called. It has become a daily occurrence in Nigeria, the Fulani menace, and it doesn’t appear as if the relevant authorities are in any way prepared to checkmate their atrocities.
“The other day we finished with the Prelate of the Methodist Church. He narrated his experiences. My neighbour here in Enugu was kidnapped and taken to the bush by same Fulani herdsmen and his experiences are very horrific. They have spread all over the South.
“So it is very unfortunate that this kind of thing is allowed to continue happening every day. Today we talk about Fulani herdsmen, you talk about kidnappers, unknown gunmen, you talk about bandits, so how can the country grow?
“How can we have sustainable national development with all these kinds of violence here and there? With the instability of all kinds how can we grow?” he queried, adding that no right thinking person would not condemn the Fulani herdsmen menace in the country.
“Ohanaeze condemns the mass killing of worshippers in a Catholic Church in Ondo state. We regret that this has become a daily occurrence. It is also very unfortunate that the relevant authorities have not been able to overcome this kind of atrocities.
“Just as it happened in Ondo, every other day in the South-East we have been encountering similar problems.
“Finally, we still ask the Chief Security Officer of the nation, the president to buckle down, rise to the occasion and also to ask Amotekun to buckle down too; because if you wait on Federal police and other federal security agencies, they cannot help us.
“In the same way, we are calling on the South-East governors to buckle down, like what Ohanaeze has been telling them about the South-East Security Network (Ebube-Agu).
There’s need for us to increase security consciousness across the South-East, and the entire South. We cannot wait until we are subdued; no, we cannot wait.
“There is this saying that somebody surrounded by enemy is always vigilant – it is another way of telling the South-East, South-South that they have to improve on their security consciousness because security, as they say, is a collective responsibility.
That responsibility is a product of consciousness.”
Explanations, condemnations, reassurances no longer comforting, says NMA
Meanwhile the Nigerian Medical Association has condemned the “wanton killing” of worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, in Owo town, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
In a press release signed, on Sunday, by the association’s president, Dr. Uche Ojinmah, the NMA said “explanations, condemnations and reassurances” from the government and security agencies “are no longer comforting.”
The statement partly read, “The recurrent shedding of innocent blood in our dear country has been going on for far too long and it is the position of the Nigerian Medical Association that explanations, condemnations and reassurances are no longer comforting.
“The NMA hereby calls for quick intervention by our Governments and security agencies to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians in every part of this nation.”
While commiserating with the government and people of Ondo State over those who lost their lives and praying for the quick recovery of those injured in the attack, the NMA appealed to the residents of Owo to visit hospitals where victims were being treated to donate blood to save lives.
Nigeria’ll not surrender to wicked people — Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, condemned the heinous killing of worshippers at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo Kingdom, in Ondo State. According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the president said, “No matter what, this country shall never give in to evil and wicked people, and darkness will never overcome light. Nigeria will eventually win.” The statement is titled ‘President Buhari mourns the dead, condoles with Ondo State govt and people.’
