Some gunmen on Sunday morning attacked St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, headquaters of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, killing over 50 members of the congregation, during the church service.
It was gathered that no fewer than 50 corpses have been moved out of the church with many casualties lying at the Federal Medical Center, Owo, for medical attention.
According to a source, who explained that some gunmen invaded the church during service, and opened fire on the members of the church, killing no fewer than 50 people.
He explained that the congregation were caught unaware saying the casualty might be more as some worshippers who were taken to the hospital have gave up.
He added that the gunmen also used some explosives within the compound of the church but said most of the people were hit with gunshots.
The perpetrators were said to have fled the scene immediately they carried out the killing, leaving many people dead.
Some dead bodies were seen soaked with blood in the church in a video obtained by Tribune Online.
A nurse at Owo who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said no enough medical personnel on ground and duty to attend to the casualties at the emergency unit of the hospital while some.of the casualties have been taken to private hospital.
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Gunmen opened fire on worshippers at a Catholic church in southwestern Nigeria and also detonated explosives. Dozens are feared dead including children.
Lawmaker Ogunmolasuyi Oluwole said the attackers targeted the St Francis Catholic Church in Ondo state just as people gathered on Sunday.
Among the dead were many children, said Oluwole, who visited the scene and also the hospital in Owo – a town in the state – where many of the wounded are being treated.
Ondo Governor Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said he was heading back to the state from the capital Abuja after the “unprovoked attack and killing of innocent people of Owo”.
“We shall commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay,” he said in a statement.
While much of Nigeria has struggled with security issues, Ondo is widely known as one of the country’s most peaceful states.Africa’s most populous country has witnessed attacks and kidnappings for ransom by armed gangs, mostly in its northwest. Such attacks are rare in southern Nigeria.
