The attackers stormed the church in the city of Awo and proceeded to “shoot intermittently,” Adeyemi Olaimy, a lawmaker representing the Awo constituency in the Ondo State Assembly, told CNN.
Alimi said at least 28 people were killed.
“The attackers came on motorbikes and started shooting sporadically,” he said. They killed a lot of people inside the church.”
Al-Alimi said the victims are being taken to the Federal Medical Center in Au.
State police were unable to confirm the total number of victims at St. Francis Catholic Church, a police spokesperson told CNN, and were unable to identify those responsible for the attack.
Ondo state governor Rotimi Akridolo said he was “shocked” by the attack and described it as “Black Sunday in Ou”.
“I am deeply saddened by the unprovoked attack and killing of innocent people in Ou, who worship in St. Francis Catholic Church, today,” he said on Twitter, adding that “the vile and demonic attack is a calculated assault on the peace-loving people of the Kingdom of Oui who have enjoyed relative peace over the years.” “.
The governor pledged to “commit all available resources to hunting down these attackers and making them pay the price.”
“We will never succumb to the machinations of cruel elements in our determination to rid our country of criminals,” he continued, calling on the public not to “put the laws in your hands.”
“I urge our people to remain calm and vigilant. Do not take the laws into your own hands. I have spoken to the heads of the security services. I have also been assured that security elements will be deployed to monitor and bring life back to normal in the Kingdom of Oo,” Akeredolu wrote.
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