The Islamic State, West African Province (ISWAP), has been identified by the Federal Government as being responsible for the attack at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State that led to death of about 40 persons last Sunday.
Speaking at the end of the National Security Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said security agencies were already on the trail of the culprits.
While noting that their imprints have been ascertained in the attack, he, however, said the authorities have so far made no arrests.
Aregbesola, joined by the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, dispelled insinuations of ethnic-religious connection in the attack, affirming that the group’s activity has nothing to do with Islam. He also said there was no ethnic agenda in the attack, urging Nigerians to unite and defeat terrorism in the country.
The minister added that the Council expressed concern about killings in the name of blasphemy and consequently directed security agencies to go after perpetrators of the separate incidents in Sokoto State and Abuja recently.
Aregbesola said the motive of the terror group is to pitch Nigerians against one another and make it appear as ethno-religious war.
“The Council is concerned about the violent attack in Owo and have been able to locate the perpetrators of that horrendous attack. From all indications, we are zeroing in on ISWAP.
“It is not an ethno-religious thing, the animals in ISWAP, wanting attention and recognition, are suspected to have launched that attack. We have directed all the agencies concerned to go after them and bring them to justice,” he said.
It was gathered last night that suspected attackers of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church have been reportedly arrested. A trending video showed a crowd protesting within the palace of the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye.
One of them could be heard saying: “They want to take them (suspects) to Akure. The youths are angry.”But the Special Adviser, Media to the Olowo, dismissed the purported arrest as a rumour. He said: “Someone started the rumour and it spread like wildfire. After they tried to disperse the crowd that had gathered to no avail, the Olowo had to come out to address the youths that he too heard the information the same way they heard. The monarch told them he too wished to see the killers and ask them questions too.”
