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Gunmen have killed dozens of worshippers in a Catholic church in southwestern Nigeria, the state governor mentioned on Sunday.
Anakunrin Akeredolu, the governor of the Ondo state, condemned the “vile and satanic” assault on the St. Francis Church, vowing to seize the assailants and obtain justice.
“I urge our folks to stay calm and vigilant. Don’t take legal guidelines into your palms. I’ve spoken to the heads of the safety companies. I’ve equally been assured that safety operatives could be deployed to watch and restore normalcy to Owo kingdom,” Akeredolu tweeted.
Adelegbe Timileyin, consultant of Ondo’s Owo space within the nation’s decrease legislative chamber, mentioned the church’s presiding priest was kidnapped through the assault. The lawmaker additionally put the dying toll at over 50 folks.
President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the assault, calling it “heinous.”
The Vatican issued a press release saying Pope Francis was praying for the victims who “painfully stricken in a second of celebration.”
What occurred through the assault?
The assailants stormed the church within the midst of the Sunday service, opening hearth on the worshippers, native media reported. Some explosives had been additionally used, however preliminary reviews recommend the vast majority of accidents had been because of gunshots.
The victims reportedly included members of the congregation, in addition to kids.
The identities of the perpetrators, who fled the scene shortly after the assault, have but to be confirmed. Native reviews have pointed the finger at Fulani Herdsmen, suggesting members of the nomadic group carried out the assault to ship a message to the governor.
Akeredolu’s current insurance policies have been seen as restrictive to the herdsmen’s actions within the state of Ondo.
Though Nigeria has witnessed acts of violence in recent times, such incidents have largely centred within the northwest of Africa’s most populous nation. The southwest — and Ondo state particularly — is thought to be a spot of relative peace and calm.
rmt/rt (Reuters, AP)
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