Ondo state Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has condemned the Nigerian federal government for being too hasty in attributing the Owo St. Francis Catholic Church attack to the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP). ayokinews.com reports
Recall that the National Security Council blamed ISWAP for the horrific incident that killed at least 50 people on Thursday.
However, Akeredolu stated that the federal government’s conclusion on the attack was false and should be taken with a pinch of salt, pointing out that ISWAP is known to claim responsibility for such assaults.
The governor made this known during a Zoom meeting with Christian Solidarity International (CSI), a Swiss-based Christian human rights organization.
“The statement is too hasty. I take their conclusion with a pinch of salt. ISWAP doesn’t hide its 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.”
The Southwest region has been a calm sanctuary before the awful attack, according to Akeredolu, who described the attack as a crime against humanity.
Despite the assault on the people’s peace, the governor stated that the people of the state are resilient and ready to resist any form of instability.
Read: Massacre of worshippers in Owo, a declaration of war on Yoruba nation — Afenifere
He stated that his government 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 reaffirmed his position on state policing, stating that the time for the consideration has come.
He acknowledged that the country’s current security architecture is incapable of ensuring the safety of lives and property.
“A single police command can not guarantee safety in this country. We must have state police now. Amotekun suffers a lot of limitations in getting all the equipment we need to fight these criminals.”
The governor praised the international community’s response to the massacre in Owo, describing it as “unprecedented.”
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