Terrorists storm Catholic Church in Ondo, slaughter congregation

Terrorists in their teeming numbers stormed St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, on Sunday morning and snuffed the life out on yet-to-be-ascertained number of people.

Owo is the hometown of the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

RELIABLESOURCENG.COM gathered that the #Owomassacre happened immediately after the church ended its mass service and parishioners were about leaving the auditorium.

A witness account, according to The Punch, said the assailants attacked the church with both guns and dynamites.

One of those who witnessed the tragic event, Rev 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.

“We hid inside the church but some people had left when the attack happened. We locked ourselves in the church for about 20 minutes. When we heard that they had left, we opened the church and rushed victims to the hospital.”

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A youth who witnessed the incident said an Ice Cream seller was the first victim of the attack.

He explained that the attackers gained access to the church with dynamite but shot the worshippers with guns.

He said, “I heard the sound of gunshots. They (the attackers) first shot the ice cream seller. They later went into the church and started shooting. They used the dynamite to gain entrance into the church.

“It happened immediately the Father announced that ‘worship has ended, go home in peace’. No one was kidnapped. I drove the Father to hospital and brought him back.”

A resident of the area explained that the attackers laid an ambush for the worshippers.

He said: “It happened in the broad daylight. They didn’t even cover their faces. Is it a crime to go and worship God? Look at both the old and the young that have been killed. If it is because of the 2023 elections, they should tell us what they want.

When asked the number of the attackers, he queried, “Who dares to count under heavy gunshots? They came in through the fence and gate. They laid an ambush and penetrated. They shot guns and used dynamite to enter.”