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Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, has described as hasty the Federal goverement pronouncement of ISWAP as the terrorists responsible for the attack of worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo state.
Recall that palace of the traditional ruler was under siege by youth from the ancient town demanding for the perpetrators of the last Sunday attack on St.Francis Catholic church in the town.
They demanded that the suspected terrorists should be handed to them and pleaded to the traditional rulernot to transfer them to Akure, the state capital
Meanwhile, governor Akeredolu noted that he took the Federal goverement conclusion with a pinch of salt, adding that ISWAP are known to take responsibility for their attacks.
He said this during a zoom interaction with a Swiss-based Christian human rights Organisation, Christian Solidarity International (CSI).
”The statement is too hasty. I take their conclusion with a pinch of salt. ISWAP don’t hide their attackS. If they have done it, they would have owned up. We are yet to know and our security people are still on their trail.”
Akeredolu, who said the attack was a crime against humanity, noted that the Southwest region has been a peace haven before the horrific attack.
The governor said despite the attack on the psyche of the people, the people of the state are indomitable and ready to fight insecurity.
Government, according to him ” is determined to help the Victims of the attack, particularly those who lost their loved ones and those on admission in the hospital.
“We have a plan to help the victims of the attack. Including those who lost their lives and those who are in the hospitals. Deliberately, we have people who have offered the state government some assistance. Some people have donated to the Catholic.”
Akeredolu also reiterated his stand on state police, noting that the time for state police is now.
He empathised that the present security architecture in the country can not provide security for lives and property.
“A single police command can not guarantee safety in this country. We must have state police now.Amotekun suffer a lot of limitation in getting all the equipment we need to fight these criminals.
The governor commended the international community for their reaction on the killing in Owo, saying their reacting was unprecedented.
Speaking with Vanguard, the Special Assistant Media, to Olowo of Owo, Samuel Adewale, said there was no arrest and the palace wondered the source of the information leading to the invasion of the palace by the angry youths.
Adewale said,” the rumour was not true, there was no arrest and we don’t know where the information emanated from. We have assured the youths that the security agents are still after the perpetrators”
Also, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Richard Olatunde, denied the arrest of the suspects.
The State Police command image maker, Funmi Odunlami, also said no arrest was made in respect of the last Sunday attack on the Church in Owo.
Odunlami said that member of the public will be duly informed if any arrest was made by the security agencies in respect of the Owo attack.