Last Updated on June 7, 2022, 6:22 AM AST by Anthony Morris
According to church officials and witnesses, while assailants opened fire on attendees inside a Catholic church in southwestern Nigeria, other gunmen waited outside to shoot those who attempted to flee.
According to a state politician from the area, the attack killed at least 50 people, including children.
Gunfire erupted at the St Francis Catholic Church in Ondo state while worshippers were attending Pentecost Sunday Mass. The Ondo Diocese’s Bishop Jude Arogundade stated there were gunmen inside the church, as well as gunmen outside who slaughtered churchgoers fleeing in fright.
Hearing gunshots, Steven Omotayo, who lives near the church, hurried to the scene.
“I observed a lot of dead bodies,” he claimed, “both young and old, even children.” “From the gate, the people came in and started firing.”
He claimed the church has three entrances, one of which was reportedly shut, making it difficult for many to flee.
“They were only firing at the time. If they observe someone attempting to flee or stand up, they will simply shoot them “he stated “Everyone who was standing got hit with gunshots.”
The perpetrators of the church atrocity were not immediately identified, and authorities reported the gunman managed to flee the scene. While northern Nigeria has been battling an Islamic insurgency for over 13 years, Ondo state has long been regarded as one of the country’s most stable.
Following the attack, hospital professionals struggled to treat a large number of injured people. The Nigeria Medical Association in Ondo state has ordered all available physicians to go to the hospitals and assist dozens of seriously injured people.
“At one point, even our blood bank’s blood supply was depleted, and we had to be begging for blood,” said a doctor at the Federal Medical Center in Owo who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to journalists.
“Even as a physician, I’ve seen a lot of accidents, but what I saw yesterday was way above anything I’ve ever seen in my life or in my work.”
Security officers were “on top of the situation,” according to State Police Commissioner Oyeyemi Oyediran.
“A team, working with the military, tracked the assailants, but we were unable to catch up with them,” he said.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
