How gunmen invaded church, killed many members of St Francis Catholic Church

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It was a Black Sunday yesterday for members of St Francis Catholic Church, Owaluwa in Owo, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Gunmen attacked the church and left in their trail scores of worshippers dead and many others injured.

Security agencies were yet to confirm the casualty figure as of press time, but eyewitnesses put the death toll at between 25 and 50. It was learnt that the gunmen stormed the church in a Volkswagen Golf 4 at 11:15 am when it was filled and started shooting at the worshippers.

Some eyewitnesses claimed the gunmen came in a bus and threw explosives towards the altar.

The witnesses said the church was filled because there was a celebration of the Day of the Pentecost.

The assailants allegedly stationed their members at the entrance to shoot at anyone attempting to escape.

Spokesman of the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ijanusi Gbadebo, said the sounds of the gunshots forced members to flee from nearby churches.

He said he was yet to ascertain the number of the dead or injured persons taken to the hospital, adding that the town was deserted almost immediately.

Some residents were seen at the FMC asking about the condition of their loved ones.

A priest in the church, Rev. Father Andrew Abayomi, said the attackers operated for about 25 minutes.

He said: “We were about to round off service. I had even asked people to start leaving. That was when we started hearing gunshots from different angles.

“We hid inside the church but some people had left when the attack happened. We locked ourselves in the church for 20 minutes.

“When we heard that they had left, we opened the church and took victims to the hospital.”

A motorcyclist, Taiwo Kasali, claimed that Amotekun Corps members pursued four suspects fleeing in a golf Volkswagen car.

A newspaper vendor, Richard Orejesu, who was at the church to distribute newspapers, recounted how he escaped the attack.

He said a son of his friend came out to collect the papers.

“The attack occurred 10 minutes after I left,” Orejesu said.

Some parishioners, who were visibly in shock, said the attackers came in a bus and that a bomb exploded before the shooting began.

Another witness who gave his name simply as Charles said the attackers were non-indigenes.

He said: “We are appealing to the government to come to our aid. We can’t understand why people will come to church to worship God and be killed in this manner.

“We want the Yoruba to come together in unity to fight this monster. If this can happen in the governor’s home town, then the rest of us are not safe.”

Bishop of Ondo Diocese, Bishop Jude Arogundade, who visited the scene, described the attack as madness.

He said: “There is nowhere people will plan to come and kill babies, children, husband and wife worshipping on a special day, the Pentecost Day

“It’s quite unbelievable that somebody will come and the intention is to kill everybody in that church.

“Those who were running out were being shot from outside, those who were inside were being shot inside.

“They threw dynamites to blow off the altar down to the sanctuary. This kind of desecration can only be done by the evil ones

“Probably what the world should know is that Nigeria is at war and this kind of war is directed at civilians.

“I don’t know what point someone is trying to make with this kind of evil but whatever point they intended to make they have not made any point and they have not achieved anything, unfortunately.”

The attack drew condemnation from well-meaning Nigerians, including Secretary-General of Afenifere, Sola Ebiseni and former Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

Source: thenation