The Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun Corps has arrested some suspected attackers of St Francis Catholic Church, Owo.
This was made known by the state Commander of Amotekun, Adetunji Adeleye on Thursday during a parade of 71 criminals arrested across the state at the corps’ headquarters in Akure, the state capital.
Adeleye also disclosed that the command recovered some weapons and vehicles used to perpetrate the terror attack on the church on June 5.
He, however, did not give the actual figure of the suspected terrorists arrested but expressed assurance that all the attackers of the church would be apprehended.
He said, “As regards the Owo incident, we have recovered the last vehicle they used for that operation and we made some arrests and we have also recovered some vital things which we are working on.
“A number of people have been arrested concerning the Owo issue as well as number of equipment. On that day, we pursued them to the point that we recovered the vehicle and we are still pursuing them We have told you that until we get to the root, I can assure you that the perpetrators and their sponsors will be brought to book.”
Some three weeks back, gunmen had stormed the Catholic church located on Owa-Iuwa Street Owo, killing over 40 persons and injuring 70 others during a Sunday mass.
Days after the sad incident, the Federal Government linked the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) to the terror attack in the ancient town.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, revealed this while addressing State House correspondents after a meeting of the National Security Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The former Governor of Osun State said the federal government has located the terrorists responsible for the killing of worshippers in Owo.
In a swift reaction, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State refuted the claim that ISWAP was behind the terror attack, saying that there is no evidence that points to the terror group.
Backing Akeredolu, the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, also disagreed with the federal government’s assertion.
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