Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, confirms arrest of suspects of Owo killings

General Lucky Irabor, the Chief of Defence Staff has confirmed the arrest of suspects behind the church massacre which happened in Owo, Ondo State in June 2022.

General Irabor made this known in Abuja on Tuesday while meeting with media executives and editors.

Recall on June 5, unidentified gunmen attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State leaving scores of people dead and many others seriously injured.

What the General is saying

He noted that he would have loved to present the suspects to the general public but however, they will be paraded after the close of investigations.

General Irabor said, “Within the last time we met, we have recorded remarkable achievement. Let me bring it to your notice that within the same period, there have been ignoble actions of men of the underworld that have impinged on our collective well-being, namely the unfortunate train attack, the attack on Kuje correctional center as well as what has been reported in the past the attack on the presidential convoy.

“Also, the Owo incident which was intended to bring men and women of the armed forces to present them in a form and shape that make it to look as if the nation is on a siege. We have arrested those behind the dastardly act in Owo.

“It was my intention to present them to the public, but because of the investigation still going on, I had to change my mind. I would like to say that in due course, the world will see them and others who are behind other daring attacks in the country.”

In case you missed it

• Recall that on Sunday, June 5, some unidentified gunmen launched an attack on a Catholic church in Ondo state in Nigeria during mass on Sunday, killing scores of people with many people sustaining serious injuries.
• The attackers targeted the St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in the town of Owo as the worshippers gathered on Pentecost Sunday, gunning down parishioners and detonating an explosive device.
• On June 9, the Federal Government through the National Security Council blamed ISWAP as being responsible for the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, on Sunday, June 5.
• However, the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, disagreed with the declaration of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) as being responsible for the terrorist attack at a Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, by the Federal Government, describing their conclusion as being too hasty.
• The operatives of the Amotekun Corps have confirmed the arrest of some suspects connected to the terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, that left scores of people dead with many others seriously injured.