The All Progressives Grand Alliance has condemned the terrorist attack on a Catholic Church at Owo in Ondo State, urging the security agencies to take decisive action in halting the anomaly.
The PUNCH reports that there was pandemonium at the church in Owa-luwa Street, Owo, the headquarters of the Owo Local Government Area of the state as gunmen attacked the church on Sunday.
The attack on the church in Owo, the hometown of the state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, came barely a week after the Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Bishop Samuel Kanu-Uche, was kidnapped in Abia State by gunmen the priest later identified as Fulani youths.
It was learnt the gunmen, who attacked the Catholic church, arrived at the premises, which is less than 200 metres from the palace of the Olowo of Owo, at 12pm when the Sunday mass was being rounded off.
The PUNCH gathered that worshippers, mostly children and women, were killed in the attack, by gunmen, who were said to have thrown an improvised explosive device before they started shooting sporadically.
In a statement released on Sunday and signed by the National Publicity Secretary of APGA, Barrister Tex Okechukwu, the party wondered why any right-thinking persons should embark on such a “heinous and inhuman act against innocent worshippers”.
“The party expressed angst at the unfortunate development and charged security agencies to unmask those behind the attack and deal decisively with them to serve as a deterrent to those planning to polarize this country through the fanning of the embers of hate, ethnoreligious inclinations, and divisiveness.
“This kind of unprovoked attack should not be allowed to recur as any recurrence would have weight consequences on the fragile peace and unity of our nation.
“APGA sympathized with the families of the victims of the attack, including the government and people of Ondo State, and prayed God to console them,” the statement added.
Copyright PUNCH.
