The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed that the gunmen, who attacked St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, and killed scores of worshippers, invaded the church with arms and materials suspected to be explosives.
According to the Police, some of the gunmen disguised as congregants, while other armed men who had positioned themselves around the church premises from different directions fired into the church.
After carrying out the attack on Sunday morning, the assailants fled using a Nissan Sunny car with Reg No. AKR 895 AG, snatched from the owner and escaped through Owo/Ute road.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Force Spokesperson, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, three unexploded IEDs were recovered from the scene.
“Police Investigators, who were part of the First Responders deployed to the scene, have recovered pellets of expended AK-47 ammunition while the Explosive Ordnance Devices – Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Explosives (EOD-CBRNE) unit confirmed the use of Explosives as fragments of the IEDs used were found. After a thorough sweep of the scene, three unexploded IEDs were recovered at the scene of the incident.
“The IGP has ordered full-scale investigations into the incident to bring to book the perpetrators of the gruesome killing of the worshippers at the church. The IGP has further ordered the deployment of specialized operatives of the Police EOD-CBRNE, Police experts, and other tactical units from the Force Headquarters for a comprehensive investigation and immediate interception of the Villians.”
Meanwhile, IGP Usman Alkali Baba condoles with the Ondo State Government, family members, relatives, and friends of the victims, assuring that the heartless killers of the harmless victims, particularly innocent children, would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
He also noted that the Force would emplace strategies to forestall similar occurrences in the future.
