The Ondo State Police Command has denied rumours making the rounds that suspected bandits who carried out the massacre at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo on Sunday have been arrested.
Niger Delta Connect gathered that residents in hundreds from nooks and crannies of Owo town besieged the palace of Olowo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye to confirm the news of purported arrest of the suspects.
The news of the rumoured arrest filtered in and residents who have been mourning the death of their loved ones to the heinous crime besieged the palace to catch a glimpse of bandits at the palace.
Addressing the crowd in owo dialect, Oba Ogunoye asked them to remain calm, saying he heard the same unconfirmed news just like the residents heard that the assailants had been arrested.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations in the state, SP Funmilayo Odunlami to confirm the arrest and she simply replied: “Am not aware.”
A source within the palace of Olowo however told our correspondent the information was only a rumour as there was nothing as such.
The source who didn’t want his name mentioned said, “it was only a rumour. The youths besieged the palace in their thousands when the rumour broke out, but it was discovered to be false alarm.
“Kabiyesi was only trying to hail their doggedness as he told them that, ‘I heard the rumour like you too…and they should be patience to authenticate it. It was later discovered that, it was only some Fulani/Hausa guys arrested along Owo/Benin boundary in possession of dangerous weapon”, the source added.
ALSO READ Ondo Attack: Afenifere Salutes Akeredolu
Recall that the Pan-Yoruba Socio-Cultural Group, Afenifere yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to fish out perpetrators of last Sunday’s terror attack at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owaluwa street, Owo, which claimed 40 lives out of the 127 victims.
The group made this known when it paid a condolence visit to Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), in Akure, the state capital.
The group was led by its national leader, Ayo Adebanjo in company of other members including: the Deputy National Leader, Oba Oladapo Olaitan; former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel; Chief Olu Falae; Tunji Alapinni; Sola Ebiseni; Korede Duyile among others.
Adebanjo commiserated with the governor, the Olowo of Owo, the Catholic church and the people of the state over the ugly incident, while referring the governor as a true son of Yoruba race, adding that his courage in establishing the Amotekun corps was typical of a true Yoruba man.
The Afenifere leader, particularly commended governor Akeredolu for doing his best to secure not only the state but the South-West region, adding that the security situation in the Southwest would have been worsened, but for the establishment of the Amotekun corps.
He said: “The elections we are going into will be an exercise in futility if we don’t change the constitution. We want state police and restructuring before the elections. So, change the constitution before moving further”, Adebanjo insisted.
Adebanjo saluted the courage and stance of the Governor on issues of national importance, saying that Governor Akeredolu has always demonstrated that he is a politician with a second address.
The Afenifere leader insisted on the change of the constitution to give the country a people’s constitution and equal opportunity to all.
He emphasised that Nigerians are currently suffering under what he called “military imposed fraudulent constitution”.
Meanwhile, the group donated N1.5m to the church and victims of the attack.
