Owo Church Attack: Lawmaker Puts Death Toll at Over 50 … Pope Prays for Victims, Nigeria

Ololade Adeyanju/

The lawmaker representing Owo/Ose federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Adelegbe Timileyin, has put the death toll in the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, yesterday at over 50.

Gunmen opened fire on worshippers and detonated explosives just as they gathered for Pentecost service.

Although, government is yet to release an official death toll, Timileyin said at least 50 people had been killed. Others have put the figure higher.

Videos appearing to be from the scene of the attack showed church worshippers lying in pools of blood while people around them wailed.

In Rome, Pope Francis responded to news of the attack.

“The pope has learned of the attack on the church in Ondo, Nigeria and the deaths of dozens of worshippers, many children, during the celebration of Pentecost. While the details are being clarified, Pope Francis prays for the victims and the country, painfully affected at a time of celebration, and entrusts them both to the Lord so that he may send his spirit to console them,” the pope said in a statement issued by the Vatican press office.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said “only fiends from the nether region could have conceived and carried out such dastardly act.”

“No matter what, this country shall never give in to evil and wicked people, and darkness will never overcome light. Nigeria will eventually win,” the statement adds.

Ondo State governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who wept durng his visit to scene of the attack, yesterday, said the day was “a Black Sunday” for the people of the historic town.

Tweeting about the incident earlier, the governor wrote, “Our hearts are heavy. Our peace and tranquility have been attacked by the enemies of the people.”

No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the heinous attack.

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