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Black Sunday in Owo: Explosion rocks Catholic Church as gunmen kill over 50 worshippers

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.Buhari, Osinbajo,  Atiku ,CAN,  PDP Govs condemn attack, condoles with Ondo people

. ‘An act of unprovoked aggression against innocent people

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BLESSING AKOROWOSI, Osogbo with agency reports

It was a black day as some gunmen on Sunday morning attacked St. Francis  Catholic Church in Owo, headquarters of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, killing over 50 members of the congregation, during the church service.

 

It was gathered that no fewer than 50 corpses have been moved out of the church with many casualties lying at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, for medical attention.

 

According to a source, some gunmen invaded the church during service, and opened fire on the members of the church, killing no fewer than 50 people.

 

He explained that the congregation were caught unaware saying the casualty might be more as some worshippers who were taken to the hospital had given up.

 

He added that the gunmen also used some explosives within the compound of the church but said most of the people were hit with gunshots.

 

The perpetrators were said to have fled the scene immediately they carried out the killing, leaving many people dead.

 

Some dead bodies were seen soaked with blood in the church in a video obtained by our correspondent.

 

A nurse at Owo who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity said there were not enough medical personnel on the ground and on duty to attend to the casualties at the emergency unit of the hospital while some of the casualties have been taken to a private hospital.

 

Worried about the incident ,  President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the heinous killing of worshippers  at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo Kingdom, in Ondo State.

 

The President says only fiends from the nether region could have conceived and carried out such dastardly act, adding that eternal sorrow awaits them both on earth here, and ultimately in the hereafter.

 

Buhari mourns the dead, condoles with their families, the Catholic Church, and the Government of Ondo State, charging emergency agencies to swing into action, and bring succour to the wounded.

 

“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 President stated.

 

Also, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has decried the killing of worshippers at the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo.

The vice president in post on his Twitter handle, expressed grief over the incident  and described it as a senseless massacre.

 

He condoled with families who lost loved ones in the attack.

“I am saddened by the senseless massacre of innocent people in Owo.

 

“My deepest condolences go to the families whose hearts are broken and are grasping for answers.

 

“We are united in grief and a resolve to defeat the cowards who unleash terror on defenseless people,” he said.

 

Former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar said he was devastated by reports of loss of scores of lives following the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church.

 

Atiku in a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe condemned in the strongest terms the attack and any such attack on a worship centre as unacceptable.

 

“Any attack on innocent citizens indeed of a gathering of worshippers in any place in Nigeria stands condemned; it is a red line,” Atiku said.

 

“My prayers are with the people of Owo, especially families of the deceased. I do hope that the state government and relevant security agencies will leave no stones unturned in apprehending the criminals.

 

“I condole with all the affected families; the St. Francis Catholic Church Owa-luwa; the body of Catholic faithful in Nigeria and the people and government of Ondo State.

 

“Even as I pray that some day, very soon, we shall have a lasting solution to these painful episodes, I urge the security agencies not to  relent in their efforts to fish out the culprits and bring them to justice.”

 

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has described the killing of worshippers on Sunday as barbaric and wicked.

 

Rev. Anselm Ologunwa, the Chairman of CAN in the state, in a statement on Sunday in Akure, condemned the attack.

“The killing of some innocent souls in the name of whichever guise is the highest criminality everybody should rise up and condemn in our society.

 

“How can some people just wake up from no where and decide to kill their fellow men unjustly without any recourse to the judgement of God,” he said.

Ologunwa called on the government to address the security challenges confronting the country.

 

According to him, “no where is safe in Nigeria with the recent kidnapping of Prelate of the Methodist Church and two others on the road, the train attack and on the air and now is inside the church of God.”

 

He noted that the day was the feast of the Pentecost Sunday in the history of the Catholic Church, assuring the people that the Holy Spirit of God would definitely fight for those that were killed in the incident.

 

Ologunwa called on the state government and security agencies to as a matter of urgency go after the perpetrators of the heinous act and bring them to justice.

 

The chairman condoled with families of the victims, the Catholic Community and the entire state, and prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

 

He assured that CAN would continue to promote religious harmony and equal opportunities for all in the state without discrimination.

 

He admonished the people of the state to complement Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu’s efforts on security, charging them to be security conscious at all times.

 

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the gruesome terrorist attack and killing of innocent worshippers during a church service at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo.

 

The party condemned the terrorism act in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba in Abuja on Sunday.

 

Ologunagba said that the PDP was alarmed by reports of how the attackers invaded the church, opened fire on worshippers, freely used explosives within the premises, murdered compatriots in cold blood and left unchallenged.

 

He said it was disheartening and traumatic to witness gory pictures and videos of children and the elderly murdered in cold blood Sunday morning by terrorists.

 

He urged the government to be up to the task of its primary purpose of providing security and welfare for its citizens.

 

He advised President Buhari to immediately address the nation on measures to stop killing in the country.

 

“The PDP deeply commiserates with the families of the victims of this senseless attack and other terrorist attacks in our country, the Catholic Church, the Government as well as the people of Ondo State.

 

“PDP charge our security agencies to leave no stone unturned to apprehend the perpetrators”.

 

Meanwhile, Osun State Government has condemned the terrorist attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa street, Owo in which several lives were lost and many worshippers injured.

 

The government described the attack as totally barbaric, wicked and an act of unprovoked aggression against innocent people.

 

This is contained in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode on Sunday.

 

Osun State government expressed sympathy to the families of those killed and the church attacked.

 

“It is both mean and inhumane to turn the sacred sanctuary of a church to a killing field on a Sunday morning.

 

“While expressing sympathy to the families of those killed in the attack, and especially to the Catholic Diocese of Ondo and the government of Ondo State, we are also assuring Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and the government of Ondo State of our support in any and every way possible.

 

“We will continue to uphold our collective resolve at all levels  to confront these evil doers till the frontiers of bloodshed is totally wiped out .

 

“We pray God grants the families of the victims of this very unfortunate incidence the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, while we pray for quick recovery  of all those who sustained various forms of injuries,” the statement read.

 

Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state has condemned the killing  of worshippers at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo, Ondo State on Sunday.

Fayemi in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yinka Oyebode in Ado-Ekiti,  described the attack during a Holy Mass on Pentecost Sunday as very barbaric and callous.

 

According to him, there can never be any justification for the heinous behaviour of the assailants.

The governor  also commiserated with  Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN)  and  people of Ondo  state on  the sad incident.

He urged security agencies in the state to ensure that the perpetrators of the crime were apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law.

In solidarity with the sister state, the governor, however, directed the Ekiti  Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Banji Filani, to immediately send human and medical resources to Ondo state.

Similarly, the Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Orji Kalu, has expressed shock and sadness over the bombing of St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.

Kalu, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, condemned the attack which left many worshippers dead and others injured.

Lamenting the ugly incident, the former governor of Abia described the attack as evil and sinful.

Kalu called on security agencies to deploy their skills in fishing out perpetrators of the wicked act.

According to him, the unfortunate incident is devastating and wicked.

Kalu appealed to appropriate authorities to strengthen the security framework of the country to guarantee peace and unity.

He said that all hands must be on deck to stop the killings by terrorists across the country.

“I am devastated and shocked over the attack on St. Francis Church, Owo leading to the death of many people with others injured.” It is a wicked, evil and sinful act.“This is too much to bear.“It is a black Sunday. “The perpetrators must be exposed and brought to book.

“I urge security agencies to commence full scale investigations in a bid to arrest the perpetrators of the ugly act and avoid recurrence,” Kalu said.

He commiserated with the government and people of Ondo state while praying to God to grant the departed souls peaceful rest.

Kalu also conveyed his condolences to the Catholic community,  especially the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo.

Kalu also wished hospitalised victims quick recovery

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has condemned gruesome attack on some worshippers on Sunday at the St Francis Catholic Church, in Owo, Ondo State, which has left many dead and others injured.

 

Bello condemned the attack in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Muhammed Onogwu on Sunday in Abuja, calling for urgent and effective efforts to nab perpetrators

 

The governor, expressing his sadness over the incidence, called on security operatives to expedite actions that would nab the perpetrators.

 

Bello also sent his deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost loved ones in the incident, particularly the Catholic family and the entire Christian fold stating.

 

He added that only justice well served to those evil doers can succour the pain they felt.

 

He also commiserated with the government and people of Ondo state while he called for calm amongst the people in a bid to allow security operatives to speed up delivering justice in adequate measure.

 

Bello noted that the time has come to make more effective local security architecture in enhancing intelligence gathering and providing safety measures in rural areas.

 

Similarly, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has commiserated with his Ondo State counterpart, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi (SAN) and the State Government, over the attack and killings of worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church at Owa-luwa Street, Owo in Ondo State by unknown gunmen on Sunday.

 

Sanwo-Olu, who described the attack as callous, inhuman and despicable act, also sympathised with the people of Ondo State, especially the residents of Owo, Governor Akeredolu’s hometown and members of the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa.

 

Sanwo-Olu in a condolence message issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, condemned the attack by the gunmen, saying it is crime against humanity to open fire on worshippers on Sunday morning killing scores of people.

 

The Governor, who also commiserated with the Catholic Church of Nigeria and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the ugly incident.

 

He said: “On behalf of the government and people of Lagos State, I commiserate with Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Ondo State Government and the entire people of the State over the tragic loss in the state caused by the attack and killings of worshippers by the evil men this morning.

 

“Attacking a congregation and shedding innocent blood during a divine service in the temple of God is condemnable as it is a crime against humanity. It is barbaric, callous and despicable crime for any man to attack and kill worshippers or any fellow man in a manner the yet-to-be-identified gunmen carried out the heinous crime in the Catholic church on this morning.

 

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, families and the Christian community and the people of Owo as well as the entire people of Ondo State, who are affected by this unfortunate incident.”

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