Attack on Owo church is crime against humanity, says NSCIA

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has condemned the attack on a church in Owo, Ondo state.

On Sunday, St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo was attacked by gunmen while mass was in progress. Many — including women and children — were killed in the attack.

In a statement on Monday, Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, NSCIA director of administration, described the attack as a direct assault on all law-abiding citizens.

Usman-Ugwu also called on the authorities to ensure that the perpetrators of the attack are identified and brought to book.

“The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alh. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, condemns, in the strongest terms, the heinous attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, where many innocent worshippers were gruesomely murdered and several others severely wounded,” the statement reads.

“It is a crime not only against humanity but also a grievous and inexplicable sin.

“All peoples of faith should take this attack as a direct attack on all law-abiding citizens and should therefore be in the vanguard to halt the evil that appears to be assailing the life, property and integrity of humanity, particularly believers in God.

“The Council also calls on the Governments at all levels to issue and pursue an ultimatum for the security agencies to unravel the identity and bring to book the perpetrators of the violation of sanctity of not only life but also religions.

“The security agents, who have been engaged to combat criminality and insecurity, are enjoined to heed the Qur’anic call that: ‘…For had it not been that God checks one set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, wherein the name of God is persistently mentioned, would surely have been pulled down. Verily, God will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, God is All-Strong, All-Mighty. (Q 22: 40)’

“It is therefore mandatory for security agencies to help in rescuing the helpless citizens that we have all become.

“The Council stands in absolute solidarity with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Catholic community, the government and people of Ondo State and commiserates with the families of the victims in this period of immeasurable agony and distress.”