Abuja – The Chief of Defence Staff, General Leo Irabor said in Abuja on Tuesday that some terrorists behind the June 5 gun attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State have been arrested.
Irabor disclosed this during a parley with media executives and editors of media organisations in Nigeria.
Irabor disclosure came just as Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State announced that five suspects have been arrested in connection with the dastardly act.
Major-General Irabor
The Chief of Defence Staff , however, said the attackers were arrested during joint operations involving the Armed Forces, the Department of Security Services (DSS) and the police.
Irabor gave the name of one of the arrested attackers as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza.
“Omeiza is one of the masterminds of the 5th June attack of the Catholic Church in Owo as well as the attack on a police station in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State that led to the killing of a policeman as well as weapons carted away,” he disclosed.
He was arrested on the 1st of August, 2022 at Eka Okehi Kogi State during an operation with other branches of security.
Also arrested on the 7th of August at Aiyetoro C in Ondo State is Idris Ojo, age 32, who the CDS described as “one of the high profile ISWAP terrorist that escaped from Kuje.”
“Idris Ojo wasn’t done with his previous activities but was planning other deadly attacks along with his cronies before his arrest,” General Irabor said.
Other terrorists arrested he said, are Momoh Ojo Abubakar, Aliyu Yusuf Itokpa, and Auwal Ishaq Onimisi.
About 40 people were killed when the gunmen stormed the church on June 5, opened fire on the congregation, and also detonated explosives as the worshippers scampered for safety.
Operatives of Amotekun Corps in Ondo State had earlier announced the arrest of some suspects in connection with the killings.
The state Commander of Amotekun, Adetunji Adeleye, announced thus during a press briefing in Akure on June 23.
Also speaking in Akure on Tuesday, Governor Akeredolu, confirmed the arrest of five suspected attackers of St Francis Catholic Church in the Owo area of the state.
The governor’s confirmation came shortly after the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor made the announcement in Abuja.
Akeredolu disclosed that the owner of the house where the attackers stayed before the June 5 attack in Owo has also been arrested.
He said that the state government did not spare a moment in trailing the terrorists since the horrendous attacks on innocent worshipers at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owaluwa, Owo.
A statement from Richard Olatunde, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said Akeredolu spoke during a courtesy visit to his office by the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by the state Chairman of the Council, Prince Leke Adegbite.
“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 that accommodated them before the attack, has 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,” Akeredolu was quoted as saying.
Governor Akeredolu has also called on leaders of the Ebira community in the state to warn their young ones not to copy the bad venture of kidnapping.
According to him, recent reports from victims of kidnap in the state have established that some Ebira indigenes are now involved in the unwholesome act.
He noted that the Ebiras have lived together with the people of the state peacefully for several decades, adding that they have always been supportive and hardworking.
“I want to use this medium to urge our brothers 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 things. The traders selling by the roadside 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 things.
“They are in our midst, we are surrounded by them. The issue of security is key and it’s dynamic.”
On the issue of Security, Governor Akeredolu disclosed that aside the recent recruitment and training of new Amotekun personnel, 20 hunters and local vigilantes will be trained by the Amotekun corps in each of the eighteen local government areas in the state.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NUJ, Ondo State Council thanked the governor for his support for the management of OSRC and Owena Press PLC, adding that the upgrade of facilities in the two state-owned media outfits is commendable.
He equally commended Akeredolu for the approval of the weigh-in allowance for journalists and information officers working in the State and Local government service. (vitalnewsngr.com)
