Owo catholic church attack : IGP deploys EOD- CBRNE
° As Police team recovers unexploded IEDs, others
By Phil Ngozi Ojeogwu
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered full scale Investigation into the Sunday attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owaluwa in Owo, Ondo State by gunmen.
The attack was carried out by yet-to-be-identified gunmen at about 11.30am on Sunday June 5,2022.
The IGP who condemned the brutal murder of innocent Nigerians in an attack, said the
Explosive Ordnance Devices – Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Explosives (EOD-CBRNE) unit,confirmed the use of Explosives as fragments of the IEDs used were found and after thorough sweeping of the scene, three unexploded IEDs were recovered at the scene of the incident.
According to Force Public Relations Officer ( FPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi,” the gunmen, from preliminary investigations, invaded the church with arms and materials suspected to be explosives. Police Investigators who were part of the First Responders deployed to the scene have also recovered pellets of expended AK-47 ammunition.
“Further investigations revealed that some of the gunmen disguised as congregants, while other armed men who had positioned themselves around the church premises from different directions, fired into the church. The assailants fled the scene using a Nissan Sunny car with Reg No. AKR 895 AG,which was snatched from the owner, and escaped through Owo/Ute road. The vehicle has been recovered, while the owner of the vehicle is currently assisting the Police in its investigations.
“The IGP has ordered full-scale investigations into the incident in order to bring to book the perpetrators of the gruesome killing of the worshippers at the church. The IGP has further ordered the deployment of specialized operatives of the Police EOD-CBRNE, police experts, and other tactical units from the Force Headquarters for a comprehensive investigation, and for immediate interception of the Villians.
“The IGP , therefore, condoles with the Ondo State Government, family members, relatives, and friends of the victims who lost their lives in the unfortunate attack. He equally assures that the heartless killers of the harmless victims, particularly innocent children, would be made to face the full wrath of the law, while the Force will emplace strategies to forestall similar future occurrences”
