Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has confirmed the arrest of five suspected killers of over 40 worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo on June 5.
Akeredolu said this during a courtesy visit to his office by the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council, led by the chairman, Leke Adegbite.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, announced the arrest of the masterminds of the attack in Abuja earlier in the day.
The governor further disclosed that the owner of the house where the attackers stayed before the June 5 attack in Owo had also been arrested.
“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,” said Akeredolu.
“The home where they lodged in Owo and the person that accommodated them before the attack, has 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.”
Akeredolu also called on leaders of Ebira community in the state to warn young people against kidnapping.
The governor said recent reports from kidnap victims in the state have established that some Ebira indigenes are now involved in kidnapping.
“I want to use this medium to urge our brothers 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 roadside 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 conviviality 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 said.
