Owo Attack: Police recover three unexploded IEDs from St Francis Catholic Church

The police said three unexploded IEDs were recovered from St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owaluwa in Owo, Ondo State.

Confirming the report, Force Public Relations Officer Force Headquarters, Abuja, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said from preliminary investigations, the gunmen invaded the church with arms and materials suspected to be explosives.

Adejobi said 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 and after thorough sweeping of the scene, three unexploded IEDs were recovered at the scene of the incident.

He said the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has condemned in totality the brutal murder of innocent Nigerians in an attack on the Catholic Church, Ondo State.

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He said the attack was carried out by yet-to-be-identified gunmen at about 11.30am on Sunday 5th June, 2022.

Adejobi said further investigations revealed that 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.

He said the assailants fled the scene using a Nissan Sunny car with Reg No. AKR 895 AG which was snatched from the owner, and escaped through Owo/Ute road.

Adejobi said the vehicle has been recovered while the owner of the vehicle is currently assisting the police in its investigations.

He said the IGP has ordered full-scale investigations into the incident in order to bringing to book the perpetrators of the gruesome killing of the worshippers.

Adejobi said 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 for immediate interception of the villians.

The Inspector-General of Police condoled with the Ondo State government, family members, relatives, and friends of the victims who lost their lives in the unfortunate attack.

He equally assured that the heartless killers of the harmless victims, particularly innocent children, would be made to face the full wrath of the law, while the Force will emplace strategies to forestall similar future occurrences.