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June 5, 2022, was a Black Sunday that many Nigerians cannot forget. It was the day pandemonium erupted at Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State when gunmen attacked the church.
Owo is the hometown of the then-State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. The gunmen arrived at the Catholic church, located less than 200 meters from the palace of the Olowo of Owo, at around noon as the Sunday Mass was concluding.
The attackers, who threw an improvised explosive device before shooting indiscriminately, killed many worshippers, primarily children and women. A short video clip shared online depicted the mayhem the attackers unleashed on worshippers with some of the victims lying in pools of blood.
Medical staff at the Federal Medical Centre and Saint Louis Hospital in Owo confirmed that 35 people were brought in dead. While the church and the state government also did not state the number of casualties, eyewitnesses and media organisations including international outfits such as Reuters and Voice of America reported that over 50 people were killed in the attack.
An eyewitness and Owo resident, Olabamiji, said the gunmen disguised themselves as worshippers before launching the attack.
“We saw them. They didn’t cover their faces. Initially, we thought they were going into the church for the service, not knowing that they were gunmen. Suddenly, we heard gunshots. They aimed at everyone, particularly women and children,” he said. “During the attack, there were no security operatives to confront the gunmen. We couldn’t count their number because everyone was running for safety.”
The brutal attack, which was later tagged #OwoMassacre, was an unforgettable incident that reminded Nigerians of how unsafe the country has become to the extent that people do not feel safe in sacred places of worship as gunmen attack both Churches and Mosques, killing worshippers. To date, despite the controversies amid demand for justice, the authorities have done little or nothing to deal with the perpetrators of Owo massacre and other heinous attacks. Yet, more attacks and killings are reported as the days go by…..Seê _ Morê
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