Owo Church Attackers: List of Arrested Terrorists.

The Defence Headquarters, through Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor on Tuesday, August 8, confirmed to Nigerians that terrorists who attacked St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo have been apprehended.

CDS Iraboh, during a meeting with media executives in Abuja, noted that troops who were in operation pursued the suspects and recovered some exhibits from them.

He said that the military, having achieved the feat in collaboration with other security agencies, has also neutralised many bandits terrorising the country.

It will be recalled that the Catholic Church in Owo was attacked on Sunday, June 5, 2022, leading to the death of scores of worshipers.

The military chief revealed that the search for more of the terrorists who are in hiding is still on.

His words:

“As regards the Owo incident, we have recovered the last vehicle used for that operation and we made some arrests. Also, we have also recovered some vital items which we are working on.

“A number of people have been arrested concerning the Owo issue as well as  number of equipments. On that day, we pursued them to the point that we recovered the vehicle and we are still pursuing them. We have told you that until we get to the root, I can assure you that the perpetrators and their sponsors will be brought to book.”

He listed some names of those already arrested as follows:

1.Momoh Ojo Abubakar

2.Aliyu Yusuf Itokpka

3.Auwal Ishaq Onimisi

4. Idris Ojo

5. Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (one of the masterminds of the attack).

 

Gov. Akeredolu confirms arrest of five suspects.

The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, on Tuesday disclosed five suspected terrorists who attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo on June 5, 2022 have been arrested.

Akeredolu confirmed the arrest shortly after the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, announced the arrest of two of the masterminds of the attack in Abuja.

Akeredolu was speaking while receiving the chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ondo State, Prince Leke Adegbite, and his executive members.

The governor also disclosed that the person who allegedly housed the suspected terrorists before carrying out that the attack had been arrested.

He said , ”Now that the military has announced it, I can tell you that five of them have been arrested now. They are still on the trail of the rest.

The home where they lodged in Owo and the person who lodged them before the attack, have also been arrested.

“We did not spare a moment. I am happy that the Chief of Defence Staff has announced it.

“We have known for a while but we needed not to come out with it because more works are still ongoing. I can confirm that this arrest has been made. And they are still on the trail of some of them.”

The governor also confirmed that some Ebira indigenes are now involved in the some act of kidnapping recently in the state.

“I want to use this medium to urge our brothers (Ebira) to concentrate on their farming trade. It will be unfortunate to know that the Ebiras in our midst are now involved in kidnapping.

“We are appealing to them not to copy bad thing. The traders selling by the road side should not become informants. We are not fighting them; we have seen their numbers, they supported and voted for us during elections. I will call their leaders and talk to them.

“Our brothers who were kidnapped on their way to Ikare; talk to them, they were taken to Ebira farmsteads.For me, we have lived together for too long for this to happen. I am ready to make any effort to ensure that the conviviality that we have enjoyed continues.

“But we are begging their leaders to urge them not to copy bad thing. They are in our midst, we are surrounded by them. The issue of security is key and it’s dynamic,” he appealed.