At least 50 people, including women and children, were massacred during a Sunday Mass gathering at a Church in Ondo state, south-west Nigeria. The details about the unknown ‘gunmen’ aren’t known. As per reports, the armed men entered St Francis Catholic church in Owo during Sunday service. Reportedly, they also fired into the congregation and kidnapped a priest and other people who were attending the Church as per eye-witnesses.
There has been an increase in violence, especially Islamic insurgency across Nigeria in recent months. While the number of those killed in the Sunday massacre is not known, reports say that even children were killed in the same. Nigerian President Buhari said that the country will not give in to ‘evil and wicked people’ and Ondo state governor Rotimi Akeredolu said that the attack on Christians was ‘vile and Satanic attack’.
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. However, in recent times, Nigeria has been fighting the rising Islamic insurgency where armed groups carry out such attacks and hold people for ransom.
A week back, however, the head of Methodist Church in Nigeria was abducted along with two other clerics in the South-East of the country. Almost 2 lakh Pounds were paid by the Church head for their release. Prior to that, two Catholic priests were also kidnapped in Katsina, the hometown of the Nigerian President. They have not yet been released.
In March this year, a rail link between Abuja and Kaduna was targeted where at least nine people were killed and several others were kidnapped. They continue to be in their custody till now.