Ondo Govt Cancels June 12 Celebrations Over Owo Killing

The Ondo State Government has canceled this year’s June 12 celebrations in the state following an attack on the St Francis Catholic Church in Owo.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State said this in a tweet on his official handle on Saturday.

According to him, “In honour of the victims of the terror attack at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, the Ondo State Government has canceled this year’s June 12 celebration,” the governor tweeted.

“The cancelation is to enable the people of Ondo State to mourn their loved ones who lost their lives in the horrific attack.”

Earlier, the governor had faulted the Federal Government for blaming the attack on the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), saying the move was hasty.

A statement from the governor’s media aide Richard Olatunde quoted his principal as saying that the terrorist group could have taken responsibility for the attack if it was behind it.

“The statement is too hasty. I take their conclusion with a pinch of salt. ISWAP don’t hide their attacks,” the governor was quoted as saying during a virtual interaction with a Swiss-based Christian human rights Organisation, Christian Solidarity International (CSI) on Friday.

“If they have done it, they would have owned up. We are yet to know their identity and our security people are still on their trail.”

As far as the governor is concerned, the attack which left scores dead and many others injured further heightens the need for state police.

“A single police command can not guarantee safety in this country. We must have state police now,” he said during the meeting.

“We are doing our best with Amotekun. But Amotekun is suffering a lot of limitations in getting all the equipment needed to fight these criminals.”