(UPDATE) OWO CHURCH ATTACK: SECURITY AGENCIES BEGIN MANHUNT FOR FINANCIERS
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The perpetrators of the June 5, 2022 terrorist attack on the Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which left 40 parishioners dead and numerous others injured, are being sought by security officials.
The Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, disputed the Federal Government’s earlier accusation that the attack was carried out by terrorists from the Islamic State West Africa Province.
According to a report, it was gathered that security personnel had identified the sponsors and had given the go-ahead to all port and border authorities to keep an eye out for them.
However, a security source said that no fewer than nine of those responsible for the heinous act were in jail. The source also revealed that five financiers were the targets of a manhunt undertaken by security agencies.
The source said, ‘’The security agencies have nabbed nine persons for direct or indirect involvement in the bloody attack on the Owo Catholic Church. They are now in the process of apprehending the financiers and sponsors of the terror attack. Officers at the nation’s airports and borders have been ordered to watch out for and arrest the culprits who are on the run as they may be desperate to leave the country to evade justice.’’
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, had on Tuesday disclosed that suspected terrorists involved in the Owo attack were arrested in Kogi state on August 1.
Speaking at a parley with editors and media executives at the Defence headquarters, Abuja, Irabor said those in custody include Idris Ojo, an ISWAP commander who escaped from the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre on July 5; Momoh Abubakar, Aliyu Itopa, Auwal Onimisi, Idris Omeiza, and Jimoh Ibrahim.
But Irabor identified Omeiza and Ibrahim as the suspected masterminds of the attack.
However, in a statement released on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Richard Olatunde, Akeredolu criticized the CDS for the list of suspects.
In contrast to what the CDS said, Ojo was one of the escapees from Kuje Prison, according to Akeredolu.
Akpor clarified Irabor’s disclosure that four terrorists were detained in Kogi state in order to address the CDS’s claim regarding the list of suspects.
He claimed that among the four suspects, Omeiza was the one who was connected to the Owo attack.
The clarification was provided by Akpor in a statement released on Wednesday under the heading, “Gen Irabor meets with media executives, discloses arrest of Owo Catholic Church assault mastermind.”
Irabor meets with media executives, reveals arrest of mastermind of Owo Catholic Church attack.’
He said, “The CDS said that through the collaborative efforts of military and Department of State Services personnel, four terrorists were arrested at Eika, Okehi LGA, Kogi State on 1 August, 2022. Those arrested included Idris Omeiza (a.k.a Bin Malik), Momoh Abubakar, Aliyu Itopa and Auwal Onimisi.
‘’The Defence Chief said preliminary investigation revealed that Idris Omeiza was the mastermind of the terror attack on the Owo Catholic Church as well as the attack on a police station in the Adavi LGA, Kogi State on June 23, 2022, during which a policeman was killed and weapons carted away.”
He also explained that the Kuje prison escapee, Ojo, was planning another attack before his arrest at Ayetoro Osi, Ondo State, through the combined effort of the military and DSS personnel on August 7.
“Idris Ojo, the CDS said, was one of the suspected ISWAP terrorists who escaped from the Kuje Medium Correctional Centre on July 5, 2022. The CDS also mentioned that Ojo was arrested alongside Jimoh Ibrahim (39 years), a sympathizer of the terrorist group, who accommodated him,’’ Akpor further explained.
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