Condemnations pour in against Catholic Church massacre

The attack on worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church in the town of Owo in Ondo State has elicited strings of angry reactions from all shades of Nigerians, especially politicians and Christian leaders even as the assailants are yet to be apprehended by law enforcement agencies.

From President Muhammadu Buhari  and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the horde of political office seekers in the race for the 2023 polls, all voices have condemned the attack and called for action which is not coming from the security agencies.

The Oracle Today reports that gunmen on Sunday attacked the church on Sunday, killing people including women and children.

Hospital sources confirmed that at least 50 people brought in from the church died on Sunday. Those who did not make it to the hospital are not part of the number.

Witnesses said the gunmen had infiltrated worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church in the town of Owo and waited for the congregation to reach full attendance before they detonated an explosive device and opened fire on worshippers. The identity and motive of the attackers was not immediately clear.

Spokesperson for the Nigerian Police, Ondo  State Command, Funmilayo Ibukun Odunlami, confirmed the incident but did not provide details of action by the police force.

Spokesman of the Catholic Church in Nigeria, Reverend Augustine Ikwu, lamented the incident in an official statement and explained that the gunmen attack interrupted a Holy Mass ceremony and left many people dead ad injured from gunshot wounds.

He said the attack was not targeted at the leadership of the church, making the motive of the attackers look more political and ethnic than religious.

He pointed out that the bishop and priests from the parish survived the attack unharmed.

Sources at an Owo hospital where the victims were rushed told journalists that there was urgent need for blood donation at the time to assist reat the injured.

President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack, calling it “heinous”, and the Vatican said Pope Francis was praying for the victims who had been “painfully stricken in a moment of celebration”.

The source and motive of the attack had not been resolved at the time of our report but it might not be too unconnected with a wave of Islamic insurgency that overwhelmed the country since President Muhammdu Buhari assumed office in 2015.

In the last one week, Fulani Islamists abducted and extorted N100 million from the Methodist Church before releasing their Prelate, Dr SKC Uche who was kidnapped in Isuochi in Umunnneochi local could area of Abia State.

Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has in response to the rising wave of kidnapping in the state ordered all herdsmen to vacate the forests and grasslands in the state. He made it clear that the ban on open grazing by southern governors is still in force in the state.

Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu whp canceled a political engagement to Abuja over the incident also vowed that his government would “commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay.”

In its reaction, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) which had earlier condemned the Abia State incident also lamented that the attack on Ondo Church, and called for immediate arrest of culprits.

The of the Ondo State chapter of CAN, Rev Fr. Anselm Ologunwa, expressed shock over the incident described it as ungodly and one of the numerous cases happening under the security challenges facing the country.

Fr Ologunwa said nowhere is safe in Nigeria with the recent kidnapping of Prelate of the Methodist church and two others. He said the attack took place at an important date in the Christian community: being the feast of the Pentecost Sunday in the history of the Catholic Church.

He invoked the Holy Spirit of God to fight for those that were killed in the incident. He also called on the Ondo State government and security agencies in the state to hunt the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

Fr Ologunwa condoled with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the incident, the Catholic community and the entire state and prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

He affirmed that the CAN will continue to promote religious harmony and equal opportunities for all in the State without discrimination.

He also admonished the people of the state to complement governor Akeredolu’s effort on their

In his response, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi lamented that Nigeria is swiftly reducing to a failed country and called on all the citizens to work together in saving the country from the looming danger.

He joined political, religious and social-cultural leaders in condemning the attack and also calling on President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to hunt the perpetrators and make them face the full extent of the law.

Mr Peter Obi who is also a former Anambra State governor sympathized with the attacked church, the bereaved and the Ondo State; and urged both the federal government and the Ondo State government, led by Rotimi Akeredolu, to do everything to bring the killers to book.

 “What happened in Owo today again adds to my position that our country is fast becoming a failed state. All must now join hands in saving our country from this existential situation we find ourselves in today,” he declared on his Twitter handle.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu who has vowed to hunt down the killers said the peace and tranquility for which the state beats its chest have been robbed by the killers.

“We shall commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay. We shall never bow to the machinations of heartless elements in our resolves to rid our state of criminals,” the statement added.

He called for the people to remain calm, assuring them that “security operatives would be deployed to monitor and restore normalcy to Owo kingdom”.

President Mohammadu Buhari whose tenure in the leadership of the federal government has also condemned the attack, saying that “only fiends from the nether region could have conceived and carried out such a dastardly act”

“President 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 succor 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,” a statement from his media men reads in part.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Chief Okey Muo-Aroh, has also lamented the Owo church massacre and berated the federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari  for the wanton waste of human lives in the country.

He said life has become brutish and short under the present administration of the country.

Former Vice-President of Nigeria and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has also reacted to the incident, saying that he is devastated by the loss of scores of lives following the attack.

In a statement, his Media Adviser, Mr Paul Ibe, said: “Any attack on innocent citizens indeed of a gathering of worshippers in any place in Nigeria stands condemned; it is a red line.”

“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,” A;lhaji Atiku stated.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olumof Lagos State has also in statement commiserated with his Ondo State counterpart, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi (SAN) and the State Government, over the attack and killings at St. Francis Catholic Church.

Governor Sanwo-Olu described the attack as callous, inhuman and despicable.

Earlier in the aftermath of the event, Governor Yahaya Bello and Vice President Osinbajo also condemned the Ondo church attack.

Governor Yahaya Bello said the gruesome attack is condemnable and called on security operatives to expedite actions to nab the perpetrators.

The Governor 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 that only justice well served to those evil doers can succor the pain they felt.

He extended his commiseration to the government and people of Ondo while he called for calm amongst the people in a bid to allow security operatives to speed up delivering justice in adequate measure.

In a condolence message on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, Governore Sanwo Olu condemned the attack by the gunmen as a crime against humanity and also commiserated with the Catholic Church of Nigeria and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

He expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the ugly incident.

 “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.”

Meanwhile the representative of Owo in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, who said he visited the scenes of the attack said the Sunday’s attack at St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, affected about 100 persons. He said he saw women and children among the dead.

According to him, 13 children were rushed in immediately after the incident, but two arrived at the hospital already dead.

A hospital worker at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, told journalists that two of children among the dead bodies deposited at the hospital’s morgue.

Mr Ogunmolasuyi said he spoke with the parent of a survivor and was told that the attackers were herdsmen, adding that “they were shooting and they also used dynamite.”

A witness, who identified herself as Toyin, said the terrorists attacked the church while the priest was rounding off proceedings of the service, narrating that the assailants started by throwing in explosives into the church hall, which sent the worshipers scampering for safety.

It was while the worshippers were running for safety that the attackers started shooting at them.

In taking a swipe on the government, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the attack and killing, saying the terrorists are now “emboldened by the alleged complicity of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, which has refused to confront the terrorists despite being aware of their plans as exposed by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai at the wake of recent terrorist attacks on Kaduna State.”

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, declared in a statement that “it is now obvious that the APC administration is deliberately surrendering the sovereignty of a large portion of the territory of our nation to terrorists, who are now expanding their reign of terror and territorial occupation in our country.

“Our Party calls out the APC to come clean on the pact it has with terrorists, for which it continues to look away as these outlaws mercilessly ravage our nation, massacre Nigerians and take many citizens captive.

“It is instructive to state that the APC has failed to account for the terrorists it imported into our country to assist it rig the 2019 elections and who APC leaders openly romance with despite their atrocities against Nigerians.

 “We hope that the APC has not again contracted these outlaws to unleash terror on Nigerians so as to trigger tension and derail the 2023 general elections.

“It is disheartening and traumatic to witness gory pictures and videos of children and the elderly murdered in cold blood this morning by terrorists with President Buhari and his apologists playing dumb to these happening by deodorizing terrorists as bandits.

“President Buhari and his government has irretrievably failed in the primary purpose of government which is to provide security and welfare for its citizens. This President has completely abdicated his duties, become numb to daily reports of killings, adductions and kidnappings by terrorists and remain absent when our nation needed him most.

“It is now crystal clear that President Buhari is incapable, incompetent and does not possess the capacity and integrity to hold office as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is a failed leader and history will not be kind to him and his administration for his abysmal failure in office.

“President Buhari must live up to his oath of office by immediately addressing the nation on measures to stop this human carnage in our country and give the nation some sense of leadership which has been absent in the last seven years.

“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 while charging our security agencies to leave no stone unturned to apprehend the perpetrators,” the party said.

Earlier in the aftermath of the event, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and Vice President Osinbajo also condemned the Ondo church attack.

Governor Yahaya Bello said the gruesome attack is condemnable and called on security operatives to expedite actions to nab the perpetrators.

The Governor 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 that only justice well served to those evil doers can succor the pain they felt.

He extended his commiseration to the government and people of Ondo while he called for calm amongst the people in a bid to allow security operatives to speed up delivering justice in adequate measure.