Church attack: Ondo Catholic Diocese fixes Friday for victims’ mass burial

The Catholic Diocese of Ondo has fixed Friday, June 17, 2022, for the mass burial of the worshippers killed in the terror attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.

The Diocese’s Director of Social Communication, Rev. Fr. Augustine Ikwu, made this known while speaking to newsmen in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Monday.

Ikwu disclosed that the mass burial would be held at the church’s new cemetery at Emure Road, Owo, adding that the number of the deceased still remained 40.

The Star recalls that suspected terrorists, on June 5, attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owaluwa Street, Owo, during church service.

40 of the 127 persons in the church were killed, leaving 87 survivors out of which 61 are currently on admission in different hospitals and 26 already discharged.

The National Security Council later revealed that the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists masterminded the attack.

READ ALSO: Ondo attack: FG’s claim on ISWAP corroborates alarm raised by S’West stakeholders ― Gani Adams

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who made this known while speaking to newsmen, said the imprint of ISWAP was found on the scene of the terror attack.

Aregbesola said ISWAP’s brutal attack on innocent worshippers was meant to cause social discontent and ethno-religious conflict among Nigerians.

However, Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Kayode Fayemi, described the claims linking ISWAP to the church attack as mere speculation.

Fayemi stressed that no evidence has confirmed that the terrorists were responsible for the attack, adding that the position of the Federal Government was only speculative.

The Star