Owo church attack: Owner of home where gunmen stayed has been arrested, says Akeredolu

Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo, says the person who accommodated the gunmen behind the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, has been arrested.

On June 5, gunmen attacked the church, and 40 people were confirmed dead after the incident.

Earlier on Tuesday, Lucky Irabor, chief of defence staff, announced that the gunmen behind the attack on the church have been arrested.

Irabor added that the suspects would have been paraded, but investigations are ongoing.

Giving an update on the case when the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) visited him on Tuesday, Akeredolu said five suspects have been arrested over the incident.

“Now that the military has announced it, I can tell you that five of them have been arrested now,” Akeredolu said..

“They are still on the trail of the rest. The home where they lodged in Owo and the person that accommodated them before the attack has also been arrested.

“We did not spare a moment. I am happy that the chief of defence staff has announced it. We have known for a while but we needed not to come out with it because more works are still ongoing.

“I can confirm that this arrest has been made and they are still on the trail of some of them.”

According to a statement by Richard Olatunde, his chief press secretary, Akeredolu also warned Ebira people living in the state to avoid crime, adding that some abductees claimed they were held captive in farmlands owned by Ebira natives.

“I want to use this medium to urge our brothers to concentrate on their farming trade. It will be unfortunate to know that the Ebiras in our midst are now involved in kidnapping,” he was quoted as saying.

“We are appealing to them not to copy bad thing. The traders selling by the roadside should not become informants. We are not fighting them.

“We have seen their numbers. They supported and voted for us during elections. I will call their leaders and talk to them. Our brothers who were kidnapped on their way to Ikare, talk to them. They were taken to Ebira farmsteads.

“For me, we have lived together for too long for this to happen. I am ready to make any effort to ensure that the conviviality that we have enjoyed continues. But we are begging their leaders to urge them not to copy bad thing. They are in our midst; we are surrounded by them. The issue of security is key and it’s dynamic.”