Owo on high alert as bandits threaten fresh attack on Catholic church

Three years after a deadly attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, bandits have threatened to launch a fresh attack on the church.

The anonymous assailants, in a letter addressed to the church, vowed to carry out a strike “soon”, with no specific timeline stipulated.

With the threat, tension has gripped the ancient community, which is still reeling from the June 5, 2022, Pentecost Sunday attack, where gunmen stormed the church, killing 41 worshippers and injuring 69 others.

The tragic incident, one of Nigeria’s deadliest acts of violence against a religious institution, left scars on Owo’s residents, many of whom remain fearful amid persistent insecurity in parts of the state and country.

Concerned about the development, the community led by its traditional ruler, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye , convened a security summit to address the rising insecurity in the area.

According to the summit’s publicity secretary, Mr Bosun Oladimeji, the maiden edition of the Owo Security Summit, themed “Securing Owo and its Environs: Strategies for Community Safety and Resilience”, will be held next week.

Oladimeji maintained that the summit will raise awareness about community security, foster cooperation between residents and law enforcement, reduce crime, and propose sustainable security initiatives with the key objective to establish a Security Trust Fund to support long-term efforts.