Bandits Attack, Kill Over 50 In Ondo Catholic Church

BY CHIKA OKEKE

Over 50 worshippers have been reportedly killed on Sunday when bandits attacked St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, headquarters of Owo local government area, Ondo State.

This is even as the massacre was believed to be a retaliatory attack by pastorialist over feud with farmers on grazing in the State.

Apart from worshippers, the bandits also killed passerby hit by stray bullets during the church’s Pentecost service.

The church is less than 200meters away from the palace of Olowo of Owo.

But a video circulating online showed many worshippers lying in a pool of blood while dead bodies littered the floor of the church during the attack.

The dead and injured were said to have been rushed to Federal Medical Centre and St. Louis Catholic Hospital, Owo.

Chief Medical Director (CMD) of FMC, Owo, Dr Liasu Adeagbo said that many medical personnel have been deployed to cater for the injured persons.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, said the command was yet to ascertain the cause of the incident.

Reacting, the state governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu condemned the virile and satanic attack, just as he vowed to track down the assailants.

According to him, "I am deeply saddened by the unprovoked attack and killing of innocent people of Owo, worshiping at the St. Francis Catholic Church, today."

"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."

“We shall commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay,” he added.

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