FG: ISWAP behind Ondo church attack

The National Security Council has revealed that the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists were behind the last Sunday’s attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, the headquarters of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, made the disclosure while speaking to State House correspondents shortly after the council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.

Aregbesola spoke in the company of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba.

The Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Ajaka, had in a statement issued on Wednesday, said as of Tuesday midnight, the state government’s record showed that those affected by the attack are 127 while 40 were confirmed dead.

However, Aregbesola, while speaking to newsmen said the imprint of ISWAP was found on the scene of the attack, vowing that they will be brought to Justice.

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

He stated that security agencies are closing in on the ISWAP terrorists through their traces.

READ ALSO: Ondo church attack death toll hits 40

The minister added that the National Security Council has directed security operatives to hunt those behind the killing of Deborah Samuel, a student who was killed for alleged blasphemy in Sokoto State, and a more recent case in Abuja.

“The Council is quite concerned about the violent attack in Owo, Ondo State. We have been able to locate the imprints of the perpetrators of that attack and from all indications, we are zeroing in on the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP).

“It is not an ethno-religious thing. The ISWAP members wanting attention and recognition are suspected to have carried out that attack and we have directed all the agencies concerned to go after them and bring them to justice.

“We are equally concerned about the spate of attacks in the name of blasphemy.

“The Police have been directed to mobilize, identify and apprehend all those involved in the blasphemy attacks in Sokoto and Abuja of recent,” he said.

On his part, the IGP said over 17, 000 police officers had been mobilized to maintain law and order during the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti State.

He also disclosed that over 500 arrests had been made in the last two months for crimes bordering on kidnapping

“In particular, my briefing to the Security Council covers a period from April 21, when we had our last meeting to yesterday, June 8.

“The security profile of the country was analyzed and brought out.

“In that we had achievements and there are cases that are still undetected. I informed the council that we have made arrest of over 584 suspects involved in high profile crimes; ranging from banditry, IPOB, Boko Haram and terrorism in general,” Baba said.

Those who attended the security meeting were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, and the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd.).

Others included the Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao.

Also in attendance were the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alkali Usman; the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Abubakar.

The Star