Burial mass for victims of Owo Church massacre

The Ondo Catholic Diocese has released names and pictures of worshippers murdered by terrorists during the Sunday, June 5, attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo.

This is as their burial gets underway in the state.

At least 40 people, including children were killed by yet to be identified gunmen at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo.

About 80 others sustained different degree on injuries during the attack.

The Federal Government has linked the attack to terrorist group Islmic State of West Africa, ISWAP, but the governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had questioned the claim, describing it as hasty.

Akeredolu, members of his cabinet, the leadership of Catholic Church in South west Nigeria among other dignitaries are attending the ongoing burial ceremony.

Ondo State Commissioner, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju in a Facebook post shared the names and pictures of the victims of the attack as contained in programme of the event.

She also said 21 coffins containing the remains of some of the victims are in church for the burial ceremony. It was gathered that family members had taken away the remains of some of the victims of the massacre for burial.

Ademola-Olateju had in an earlier post disputed claim that the Ọwọ massacre victims are getting mass burial. She said Governor Akeredolu had agreed with the Catholic Church on how to give the victims of the massacre a befitting burial.