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The death toll in the Pentecost day attack on St. Francis’ Catholic, Owo, Ondo State has risen.
A visit to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo and St Louis’ Catholic Hospital, Owo where the victims who sustained injuries are receiving medical treatment showed that more victims had died. It was learnt that no fewer than 10 victims who were rushed to the hospital died between Sunday night and Monday morning.
Bishop, Catholic diocese of Ondo, Bishop Jude Arogundade, confirmed that some other victims have died.
He did not give accurate figure or the casualties. “We are still counting the number of the victims involved in the incident. Some people died between Sunday night and Monday morning. We’re mourning in Ondo Diocese. What happened in Owo was unexpected and unfortunate.”
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) had earlier appealed to well spirited people, saying many of the victims were in dire need of blood. It was learnt that some victims of the attack who are recuperating are in need of blood.
Bishop Arogundade said Federal Government was not doing enough to curb insecurity in the country.
He urged the governors to ensure that those behind the killing and their sponsors were brought to book.
He said the church where the incident happened was one of the biggest parishes of the Catholic Church in Ondo State with 1,200 seater capacity.
Workers of the Federal Medical Centre and Saint Louis Hospital where the dead and the injured were taken to said 35 people were brought in dead.
In response, Pope Francis expressed his solidarity with the victims and sent his prayers.
The Pope “prays for the victims and for the country, painfully attacked at a time of celebration, and he entrusts everyone to the Lord, that God might send His Spirit to console them,” said Matteo Bruni, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, on Sunday.
•Flags to fly at half-mast for 7 days
The Ondo State Government has directed that flags should be flown at half-mast in all public buildings, facilities and official residences for seven days, in honour of the victims of the attack.
“In honour of the victims of this unfortunate attack, I, hereby, direct that all flags be flown at half-mast for seven days, starting from Monday, to June 12. It is a collective loss to the people of our dear state.
“The attack on innocent worshipers at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo, is a deliberate and calculated assault on the people of the state. Those who unleashed this unprovoked terror attack on our people have tested our collective resolves. We will not be deterred in responding appropriately to this dastardly act,” Governor Rotimi Akeredolu said in a statement.
•Osinbajo, Fayemi, Tinubu in Owo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu also visited the scene.
Osinbajo who said he was in the state on behalf of President Mohammadu Buhari also visited the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye.
He assured that the killers would be apprehended in no distant time.
During the visit, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) donated N50 million to victims.
Chairman of the NGF, Governor Fayemi made the announcement.
Fayemi, who was accompanied by a former governor of Ogun State and Senator representing Ogun Central, Ibikunle Amosun, described the attack as least expected. “As leaders of the people, we will redouble our efforts. This is happening across the county and we are concerned. We know how troubled you will be. And we know that this is something that troubles our minds.”
Tinubu also promised to work with Governor Akeredolu to bring succour to the victims.
Before he visited the scene of the massacre for on-the-spot assessment, he pledged the sum of N50 million to victims and another N25 million to the Catholic Church.
The APC presidential aspirant called on Federal and the state governments to work together to strengthen security around the country.
•Affront on Yoruba nation –Olubadan
Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli-Okumade II, described the attack as an affront on Yoruba nation.
He charged the governors of the South-West to wake up and do more in the task of securing the region, noting that “with the creation of Amotekun and its activities so far, it was assumed that a lasting solution had been found to the challenge of insecurity, occasioned by kidnapping, banditry, herdsmen attacks among others, but, with the Sunday ugly incident, it is not yet Uhuru.
“This is not time to seek political correctness at the detriment of the people that elected you into offices as their governors. It is time to prioritize the safety of the people’s lives and property, because, you are first and foremost Yoruba person before becoming a Nigerian and without the people being massacred by the blood suckers, you cannot be governors.”
•Attack crime against humanity –NSCIA
Reacting, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) headed by the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, said the attack was a crime not only against humanity but also a grievous and inexplicable sin.
NSCIA’s Director of Administration, Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, in a statement on Monday, challenged the security agencies to rise to the occasion and fish out people that executed the crime.
NSCIA insisted that all peoples of faith should take the attack as a direct attack on all law-abiding citizens and should therefore be in the vanguard to halt the evil that appears to be assailing the life, property and integrity of humanity, particularly believers in God.
The Council maintained its solidarity stand with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Catholic community, the government and people of Ondo State, and commiserated with the families of the victims.
•UK, EU, Iran react
In separate reactions, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran, also condemned the attack.
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, on her Twitter handle, @CatrionaLaing1, said the news of the attack was terrible. “I condemn those responsible for this horrific crime. “I extend my sympathies to all those affected,” Laing said.
UK Minister for Africa, Latin America and Caribbean, Vicky Ford, said she was horrified by the attack.
“…They must face justice for their appalling crime,” Ford said.
On its part, the European Union expressed shocked over the incidence and condemned the attack.
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, in a statement issued in Brussels, said: “The unacceptable attacks by non-state armed groups are becoming recurrent in various parts of Nigeria and the senseless violence has now spread to the hitherto peaceful state of Ondo. The EU stands in solidarity with the people of Ondo state, and in particular the families who have lost their loved ones. Those responsible for the despicable act should be speedily brought to justice…”
The Islamic Republic of Iran also expressed regret over the development.
•NLC, ASCSN demand security beef-up
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) in a separate reactions said government must strengthen its intelligence gathering and surveillance mechanisms.
The NLC in a statement by its acting President, Amechi Asugwuni lamented that the gruesome, barbaric and satanic massacre of scores of worshippers was one attack too many.
He reiterated the need for government to wake up from deep slumber and mobilize security agencies to take full term justice to criminals all over the country whose aspiration is to hold the country to ransom.
In the same vein, President, Tommy Etim Okon charged governments at all levels to brace up, and ensure that lives and properties of her citizenry are protected in line with the provisions of the1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
•Ohuabunwa, SDP outraged
The New Nigeria Group (NNG) convener and former PDP presidential aspirant, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa said the attack was not only on the Catholic Church at Owo, but also on the entire Christendom and indeed humanity.
“An invasion of a place of worship like this is unacceptable, and the massacre is pure evil. The heartless cowards that perpetrated this horrific evil must be fished out and punished by the law.”
He called on the Federal Government to immediately declare the current persisting insecurity as a national emergency since there can be no meaningful development where lives and property are not safe.
He emphasised the imperative of using advanced security technology, and also advises the nation’s security agencies to find smarter ways to manage and leverage security intelligence to effectively prevent terror attacks before they happen.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Lagos State also expressed outrage,
Its chairman, Ms Dabira Adeyinka, said the attack represented the kind of extremism that threatens to bring all of Nigeria into a kind of spiral from which it is difficult to emerge.
She accused the Muhammadu Buhari-led government for its failure to provide adequate security for Nigerians.
“We are tired of bloodshed in this country and now is the right time to start working our talks. Forget the naysayers who feel your votes will not count; just make sure you do all it takes to get your voter’s card. God bless Nigeria.”
•IGP speaks
Meanwhile, the police said it has recovered pellets of expended AK-47 ammunition and three unexploded IEDs at the scene.
Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who made this known said the Inspector General Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered deployment of specialised operatives of the Police EOD-CBRNE, police experts and other tactical units from the Force Headquarters for a comprehensive investigation and for immediate interception of the villains.
He also ordered a full-scale investigations into the incident and bring the perpetrators of the gruesome killing to book.
Adejobi, in the statement, said: “The gunmen, from preliminary investigations, invaded the church with arms and materials suspected to be explosives. Police Investigators who were part of the First Responders deployed to the scene have recovered pellets of expended AK-47 ammunition while the Explosive Ordnance Devices – Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Explosives (EOD-CBRNE) unit confirmed the use of Explosives as fragments of the IEDs used were found and after thorough sweeping of the scene, three unexploded IEDs were recovered at the scene of the incident.
“Further investigations revealed that some of the gunmen disguised as congregants, while other armed men who had positioned themselves around the church premises from different directions, fired into the church. The assailants fled the scene using a Nissan Sunny car with Reg No. AKR 895 AG, which was snatched from the owner, and escaped through Owo/Ute road. The vehicle has been recovered while the owner of the vehicle is currently assisting the police in its investigations.”
