Owo attack: Catholic church announces date for mass burial

The victims of St Francis Catholic Church Owo, Ondo State who were gruesomely murdered on June 5 will be buried on Friday.

Recall that gunmen suspected to be terrorists stormed the church nine days ago, killing over 40 worshippers, while injuring several others.

The massacre had since been condemned by Nigerians, including President Muhammadu Buhari and many state governors who have called for a probe into the attack.

The Catholic Diocese of Ondo, in a statement, said the mass burial for the slain worshippers would hold on June 17.

The Director of Social Communication of the Diocese of Ondo, Revd. Father Augustine Ikwu, said the mass burial would take place at a new cemetery of the diocese located along Emure-Ile Road in Owo.

The Diocese and the State government had earlier announced that about 40 people died while several others sustained injuries during the attack on a fateful day.

Some of the injured victims are still receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre and the St. Louis Catholic Hospital both in Owo and some other private hospitals in the state.

Although no one has been arrested in connection with the attack, the police authorities said three unexploded improvised explosive devices have been recovered from the scene of the Owo church attack.

Force Police Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, noted that police investigators have also recovered “pellets of expended AK-47 ammunition” from the scene.