…Buhari, Akeredolu, Osinbajo, Peter Obi, Tinubu others mourn
It was Black Sunday for the people of Ondo state, Nigeria and Christian communities across the globe as terrorists bombed Catholic Church in Owo, killing at least 50 persons.
This is as President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Former Governor of Lagos State, Ahmed Tinubu, Former Anambra state Governor, Peter Obi and many other prominent Nigerians mourn the death of the victims killed during the heinous, babararic attack on worshippers.
The unfortunate attack has heightened anxiety, tension across the country.
Attack happened at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owo.
Owo is the hometown of the Governor of the State, Rotimi Akeredolu.
It was learnt that the incident happened immediately after the church ended its mass service.
According to eyewitnesses, the assailants attacked the church with guns and dynamite.
One of them noted that the attackers gained entry into the church through the fence and gate of the worship centre.
One of the eyewitnesses, who is a Reverend Father, Andrew Abayomi, said many worshippers were killed despite the security measures taken by the church.
“We were about to finish service. Immediately we asked people to leave, we began to hear the sound of gunshots and dynamite from different angles. We immediately asked people to run back inside the church and shut the door.
Security expert calls for calm, urges citizens on Vigilance
Reacting to the killing in a chat with Nigerian Newssphere on Sumday, a security expert and Chief Executive Officer, Beacon Security Consult, Dr. Kabiru Adamu while condemning the attack, he advised Nigerians everywhere especially soft targets to be more viligant.
“It is a condemnable and sacrilegious attack that is against everything the omnipotent God and what we stand for as humanity stands for.
“The law enforcement agencies need to speak up and release a preliminary statement. The social media is awash with accusations that is in itself dangerous.That needs to be stopped by a factual statement.
“In the meantime, we need to come up with an effective and efficient way to protect our places of worship. That is harden them from the current soft targets to harden targets.
“We commend the Ondo State government for the speedy release of its statement and for advising restraint. We call on both the Ondo and federal government to take quick action to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.
“In the meantime, Nigerians everywhere should be vigilant and report all acts of law breach. These people are.not ghosts. Only our efforts jointly can bring this sacrilege to an end”, he stated.
The Pan Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, has said that the Owo attack in which church worshippers were murdered at St Francis Catholic Church, was a direct attack on Yoruba race.
It’s National organising secretary, Abagun Kole Omololu said that ” the massacre in Owo Chatholic church is a direct attack on Yoruba land.
“It is directed at Gov Rotimi Akeredolu for his unfliching support for security in Yoruba land by championing the Amatekun security outfits, his strigent upholding of the open gracing law and for his ” big mouth” about Southern co-operation for equity and justice in Nigeria.
“We will not succumb into terrorist threath or attack, they will not be allowed to bring down our civilisation.
“We will hunt the killers down. Citizen should not take law into their hands by attacking innocent northerners, only the terrorists, who are mostly foreign Fulani, should be fished out and finish off by the security forces.
“This attack is to course confussion and course war into our land. We should not play into their hands.
Omololu said that “This evil is condemned in the strongest term. We commensorate with the government and people of Ondo state, the catholic church, the Olowo of owo and the people of Owo.
Assailants will be hunt down -Akeredolu
Governor Oluwarotimi of Ondo State has said those carrying out attacks such as the one on St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in the state, are foreigners from Mali trained in Libya.
While describing the attack as vile and satanic, Akeredolu promised that the [erpetraors would be arrested soon.
Gunmen had on Sunday morning attacked the church and opened fire on worshippers with many killed.
The Governor, who has departed Abuja for the state, urged residents to keep calm and not take the laws into their hands.
“What happened here is too tragic. It is the most tragic event. What is happening in America is a child’s play to what has happened here.
“To say the least, it is condemnable. I’m grieved. Let me let you know that we have a duty to protect you.
“Security services also lost about two men. The attack was sudden. How they carried out the attack and entered the church cannot be explained.
“No one thought that such incident could happen in Ondo State not to talk of People.
“Let us not retaliate because we will apprehend them. Don’t take laws into your hands. I want to express my condolences to the families of the victims.
“Security agencies in the state must take all steps necessary because this must not repeat itself.
“On our own part, we must be vigilant. We take responsibility for what has happened.
“Most of those that are carrying out this attacks are foreigners from Mali who were trained in Libya,” he said.
Owo church attack: No justification whatsoever for carnage
The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned the unprovoked attacks and killing of several innocent worshippers at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo and called on the security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly criminality.
This was contained in a statement released to Newssphere by the Media Assistant to the CAN President, His Eminence, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji on Sunday.
“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 hands 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. If the Federal government is not interested in the State Police, what efforts are being put in place to arrest this unpleasant situation?
“We call on the State Governors to meet with the President to find the lasting solution to these killings. Issuing mere press statements of condemnations and what looks like empty threat is apparently not a way out of it.
“CAN commiserates with all the bereaved, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) and the Ondo State Government”, the statement reads.
Similarly, National Chairman of the Youth Wing CAN, Hon. Amb. Belusochukwu Enwere in a statement made available to NewsDirect described the attack as evil, wicked and monstrous.
“We are devastated, the nation is bleeding.
This is evil, wicked and a monstrous act .
“To the entire Christians youths and Christians, Is a black Sunday. It is too heavy to bear. The body of Christ and the church is violeted.
“Nigeria is bleeding and the entire nation are mourning.
“We call on all the entire Christian youths and by extension all Christians all over the world to observe three days mourning and for the souls of those killed and total recovery of the injured ones.
“The government must act now and ensure that the perpetrators are exposed and brought to book.
“I urge security agencies to commence full scale investigations in a bid to arrest the perpetrators of this dastardly act and to avoid recurrence
“We commiserate with the entire Christians and the Catholic community and pray to God to grant the departed souls eternal rest.
“Our heartfelt condolences to the Catholic community especially the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo and the entire Christians at largee”, he stated.
