Five suspects arrested for Owo massacre, says Akeredolu

The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, on Tuesday disclosed five suspected terrorists who attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo on June 5, 2022 have been arrested.

Akeredolu confirmed the arrest shortly after the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, announced the arrest of two of the masterminds of the attack in Abuja.

Akeredolu was speaking while receiving the chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ondo State, Prince Leke Adegbite, and his executive members.

The governor also disclosed that the person who allegedly housed the suspected terrorists before carrying out that the attack had been arrested.

He said , ”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 who lodged them before the attack, have 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.”

The governor also confirmed that some Ebira indigenes are now involved in the some act of kidnapping recently in the state.

“I want to use this medium to urge our brothers (Ebira) 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 thing. The traders selling by the road side 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 conviality that we have enjoyed continues.

“But we are begging their leaders to urge them not to copy bad thing. They are in our midst, we are surrounded by them. The issue of security is key and it’s dynamic,” he appealed.

Earlier, the Chairman of the NUJ, Adegbite appreciated the governor for his support for the management of Ondo State Radio-vision Corporation and Owena Press PLC, adding that the upgrades of facilities in the two state-owned media outfits are commendable.

He also thanked the governor for the approval of the weigh-in allowance for journalists and information officers working in the state and local government service.