Nigeria: Gunmen kill numerous worshipers in a Catholic church in the town of Owo

Armed men attacked this Sunday a Catholic church in the Ondo region, in the southwest of Nigeriaand killed numerous worshipers, according to the government and police.

The attack took place during morning mass at the Catholic church of San Francisco In the town of owolocated in the southwest of the country, a region in which jihadist and criminal gang attacks are rare.

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“It is still early to say how many people died. But many faithful lost their lives and others were injured.” Ibukun Odunlami, a police spokesman in the Ondo region, told AFP.

Abayomi, witness to the attack, explained that at least 20 faithful were killed: “I was passing through the neighborhood when I heard a loud explosion and shots inside the church.”

At the moment, those responsible and the motivations for an attack, described by the Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, as ”a hateful murder of the faithful”

After this massacre, Pope Francis reacted by lamenting the death of “dozens of faithful” and assured that he was praying for them, according to a statement from the pontiff’s press team.

Since 12 years, Nigeria was shaken by a jihadist insurrection in the northeast of the country, while criminal groups commit mass kidnappings in the northwest and separatist groups operate in the southeast.

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.