Crimes

Military arrests terrorists behind Ondo church attack

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, says security operatives have arrested the suspected killers of worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church in the Owo area of Ondo State.

Irabor made the disclosure while speaking at a meeting with editors and media executives in Abuja on Tuesday, adding that the suspects would be paraded after the conclusion of investigation.

He noted that the military has also neutralised many bandits terrorising the country.

“Let me bring it to your notice that within the last time we met, there have been ignoble actions of men of the underworld that have impinged on our collective well-being, namely the unfortunate train attack, the attack on Kuje correctional centre as well as what has been reported in the past the attack on the presidential convoy.

“Also, the Owo incident which was intended to bring man and women of the armed forces to present them in a form and shape that make it to look as if the nation is on a siege. We have arrested those behind the dastardly act in Owo.

“On August 7, one Idris Ojo, aged 37, was apprehended at Aiyetorosi in Ondo State. He was one of the high-profile Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) members that escaped from Kuje prison.

“He was arrested along with one Jimoh Ibrahim, a 39-year-old criminal.

“Ojo was not done with all the criminal activities which he undertook in the past, he was also planning other deadly attacks and he was perfecting those plans along with his cronies before he was captured.

“Again, on August 4, the military in a combined operation with the Department of State Service (DSS) arrested four terrorists at Eika in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.

“Others are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, otherwise known as Ibn Malik; Momoh Abubakar, Aliyu Itopa, and Auwal Onimisi.

“Now, Omeiza is one of the masterminds of the June 5 Catholic Church attack in Owo as well as the attack on the police station in Adavi also in Kogi State that led to the killing of a policeman as well as weapons being carried away,” Irabor disclosed.

The Star recalls that terrorists, on June 5, 2022, attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, and killed many worshippers.

The Federal Government later revealed that the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists masterminded the attack.

However, the governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, debunked the Federal Government’s claim.

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

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

The Star