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The arrest of the suspected terrorists, who allegedly killed over 40 worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, in Ondo State, on June 5, 2022, is reassuring. It gives hope that the security agents are working hard to curb terrorism in the country. In an interactive session with editors and media executives in Abuja recently, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, said the arrest was sequel to a joint intelligence-led operation by the military and other security agencies. He said the suspects would be paraded before the public in due course.
Confirming the arrest, the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, said one of the arrested culprits accommodated the terrorists, who are members of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP). “The security men are still on the trail of the rest. We did not spare a moment in trailing the terrorists since the horrendous attacks on innocent worshippers at the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owaluwa, Owo,” the governor said.
In the South-West, Ondo has had its fair share of violent crimes. That was why, last year, Governor Akeredolu ordered all unregistered herdsmen to vacate the state forests or face the wrath of the government. The fear was that unregistered herdsmen operating from those forests were responsible for such violent crimes, including kidnapping in the state. This directive had engendered a frosty relationship between the herdsmen and the state government.
The Owo incident had escalated insecurity in the state. It was one of the most horrendous terror attacks in recent times. Boko Haram and ISWAP elements are the major architect of these attacks. Though they are known to have attacked both Christians and Muslims, their major aim is to establish an Islamic caliphate.
This attack, which came soon after the lynching of a female Christian student in Sokoto for allegedly committing blasphemy, portended danger for religious harmony in the country. Many people saw it as an attack on Christianity and freedom of worship. That was why five United States Senators asked the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, to re-designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern with regard to religious persecution. The gruesome incident also drew condemnations from different parts of the globe, including the United Nations and the Vatican.
Regrettably, statistics from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project estimate that this year alone, Nigerian churches have suffered 34 separate attacks so far. This is high compared to the 2021 figure which was said to be 33 and the 2020 figure which was reported to be 19. Since 2010, according to the data, about 1,664 persons have died in targeted attacks against churches.
In a report in May this year, a group known as the International Christian Concern described Nigeria as the world’s scariest country in which to be a Christian. One disturbing fact about insecurity in Nigeria is that terrorists appear to be ahead of the security agents. At Owo, they reportedly operated for over 30 minutes without any response from any of the security agencies. Across Nigeria, they usually strike with impunity, killing and kidnapping innocent victims.
That notwithstanding, the CDS has given assurrance that the military, police, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies are collaborating and working day and night to keep the country safe. We commend the security agencies for the efforts so far taken to unravel those behind the Owo attack. They should intensify efforts to arrest other terrorists and prosecute them. The attack must be thoroughly investigated to establish the level of involvement of the arrested culprits. The trial should be open and transparent.
There is need for vigilance on the part of every citizen. Worship centres must be security conscious now than ever before. There should be increase in intelligence gathering among the security agencies. It is time the security agents take the war to the terrorists. They need to nip such attacks in the bud. Government should also provide jobs and tackle hunger, poverty and unemployment. This is the only way the government can prevent the recruitment of some youths by the terrorists.
Government must also prevent the influx of illegal immigrants into the country. Poor policing of the borders has led to smuggling of weapons which the terrorists use to carry out their nefarious activities.
