Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Monday 6th June 2022
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 06/06/22
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How Hoodlums Attacked Hausa Community In Ondo After Terrorists Struck Church, Killed Worshippers—Local Chief
Some residents on Sunday, attacked Northerners in Ogwatoghose and Ikare areas of Ondo State in retaliation for an attack by gunmen on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owa-luwa Street, in the Owo Local Government Area of the state.Members of the church were attacked by terrorists said to be of Northern extraction during the celebration of the Pentecost Sunday.
Many members of the congregation were shot dead by the terrorists. One of the videos of the incident obtained by SaharaReporters shows that many women and children were killed in the attack. A chief in Owo town, where the incident occurred, said some residents retaliated by attacking some Hausa people (ethnic nationality from Northern Nigeria) in some areas of the town. The chief described the attackers as miscreants and hapless individuals who only used the opportunity to loot. He said, ”There is a place where the Hausas buy and sell aluminium and iron material. They were beaten and their goods were destroyed. It happened at Ogwatoghose (Owatowse) Street. “Opportunities to loot were not ruled out. The same attack happened at the Ikare junction area as well.”Some of the attackers are miscreants.To me, these are hapless people fending for themselves.”
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Governor Akeredolu Sheds Tears At Scene Of Ondo Terrorist Attack, Says ‘This Is A Great Massacre’
Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, on Sunday shed tears at the scene of a deadly attack by terrorists in the state. Terrorists earlier in the day attacked St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo town, the governor’s hometown, killing dozens of worshippers.
Akeredolu, who was in Abuja when the incident occurred, immediately left for his hometown to visit the scene of the tragic incident. The governor earlier vowed that his government would “hunt down” the killers and “make them pay”. In a series of tweets on his official Twitter handle following his visit to to the crime scene, Akeredolu said, “I was at the scene of the terror attack on innocent worshipers at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, today. I also visited the hospitals where survivors of the attack are receiving medical attention.
“The attack was the most dastardly act that could happen in any society.”What happened today is tragic. No better way to qualify it. It is the most tragic event! Horrific! What we have seen in America is a child play to what has happened here. That it happened in a church, to say the least, is most condemnable. I feel terribly sad. “I want to express my condolences to those who lost their dear ones to this gruesome murder. This is a great massacre. “Our people in Ondo state will not let down their guard. This will not happen again. I have urged the Heads of Security agencies to take all necessary steps. “I appeal to our people to maintain calm and let the security agencies take charge. They are taking this seriously. Please, don’t take laws into your hands. The perpetrators will never escape. We are after them. And I can assure you we will get them!” I was at the scene of the terror attack on innocent worshipers at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, today. I also visited the hospitals where survivors of the attack are receiving medical attention.The attack was the most dastardly act that could happen in any society. pic.twitter.com/I8xv80CTfL— Arakunrin Akeredolu (@RotimiAkeredolu) June 5, 2022
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National Assembly Workers To Begin Indefinite Strike Over Non-payment Of Entitlements
Members of the Parliament Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) have threatened to begin an indefinite industrial action from midnight on Sunday, June 5, 2022, over the non-payment of a backlog of entitlements by the management. This was made known in a statement on Sunday, released through the Secretary-General of PASAN, Hammed Awofiba and titled ‘PASAN Declares Indefinite Strike to Demand Full Implementation of the Revised Conditions of Service (2018).’
The statement read, “The Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, National Assembly Service Commission and National Assembly (chapters), at its joint congress meeting of 2nd June, 2022, resolved to embark on an indefinite strike over the failure of the National Assembly management to implement the subsisting MoU jointly signed by NASC and NASS management and PASAN on the 13th of April, 2021.“PASAN had issued a communiqué on the 28th March, 2022, where it demanded full implementation of the subsisting MoU and the Revised Conditions of Service. It also notified the National Assembly management of 21 days, 14 days and 7 days service of notice for industrial action if by 31st May, 2022, National Assembly Management failed to comply with the congress resolution.”According to PASAN, the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the parties include 24 months’ arrears of minimum wage/consequential adjustment but the management only paid for 16 months. The group said that means arrears of eight months and 13 days were still outstanding. It also lamented that the implementation of the Conditions of Service in the MoU which was signed in April 2021, had stopped.“In view of this unfortunate development, the Association is embarking on an indefinite Strike commencing from 12 midnight on Sunday, 5th June, 2022,” the statement added.
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E2%80%94islamic-group Ondo Church Attack Is Proof Boko Haram Terrorists Are Now In South-West Nigeria—Islamic Group, MURIC
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned Sunday’s terrorist attack on worshippers inside St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State. The Islamic group said it was proof of the existence of Boko Haram terrorists in the South-West “after their penetration into Niger and Kogi states”.
In a statement signed by its director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola and obtained by SaharaReporters on Sunday, the group called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the attackers.Terrorists earlier on Sunday killed dozens of worshippers during service. The statement read, “Dozens of worshippers were killed inside the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State today, Sunday, 5th June, 2022. We strongly condemn this act of unprovoked aggression. It is inhuman, heinous, horrific and horrendous. “We call for immediate arrest and prosecution of the attackers. We charge the Inspector General of Police as well as the Ondo Police Command to find the killers without delay. They must be pursued to the most remote corners of Nigeria. These murderers must have no hiding place. “In particular, we implore President Muhammadu Buhari to order the Nigerian Army to get involved in the search for the killers. This latest attack is indubitable evidence of the existence of Boko Haram in the South West after their penetration into Niger and Kogi States. “Going by Boko Haram modus operandi, we warn that mosques and more churches may be the next targets because this was how they started in the North. We, therefore, ask for protection for all churches and mosques in the region. “MURIC sympathises with victims of this barbaric attack. Our hearts go to the families of the dead. Our prayers also go to the wounded and their dependants. We stand in solidarity with the state governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in this hour of deep sadness.”
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Ondo Church Attack: Nigeria Police Deploy Anti-bomb Squad To Crime Scene
The Nigeria Police Force has deployed officers of the Explosive Ordnance Device Unit (anti-bomb squad) to the scene of Sunday’s terrorist attack in the Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.The police also said efforts were ongoing to arrest the assailants.
Some terrorists earlier on Sunday stormed the church while the congregation were observing Mass, killing many worshippers. Children and women were said to be the biggest casualties of the attack. The state police commissioner, Mr Oyeyemi Oyediran, in a statement released through the spokesperson for the command, Funmilayo Odunlami, on Sunday, said, “The command is aware of the attack at Owo, we will give you the full details of the incident later.“We want to implore the people of the state to be calm as all security apparatus are currently active to ensure peace in the area.”SaharaReporters earlier reported that the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, vowed that his government would hunt down the killers and make them pay.
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Terrorists Attack Church In Benue, Abduct Priest’s Cook
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Suspected terrorists have reportedly attacked the Reverend Father of St. Mary Immaculate Church in Aho community of Owukpa, in the Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State. The attack occurred on Saturday, it was learnt.
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The PUNCH reports that the terrorists abducted the priest’s cook when they could not find their target on the church premises.A source confirmed to the newspaper that the incident happened around evening on Saturday, throwing the community into a state of confusion. The gunmen suddenly stormed the area and went straight to the Reverend Father’s residence.”Unfortunately, they did not see him and they (gunmen) decided to go away with a lady found on the premises,” he added. The local government chairman, Samuel Onu, who also confirmed the attack said normalcy has returned to the community.“Yes, there was an attack yesterday (Saturday) evening, some people came and took away the priest’s cook.”The incident has been reported to the police and the situation in the area is calm now because some soldiers came to the place from a nearby checkpoint,” Onu said.But the state’s police command spokesperson, SP Catherine Anene, said she did not have the information.
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Ondo Church Attack: Don’t Wait For Nigeria Police, Others To Defend Your People, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Tells Amotekun
The apex Igbo Socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has described the gruesome murder of worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owa-Iuwa Street, Owo, Ondo State on Sunday as evil.
It called on the South-West Security Network, Amotekun, to buckle down and defend the people of Ondo State and indeed the people of South West.
The group advised that if they should wait for federal police and security agencies, their land would be overrun by Fulani terrorists.
Reacting to the massacre, an experience Igbo people have also been subjected to, Ohanaeze through its spokesman, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, regretted that in all the attacks since last week and previous weeks that were linked to Fulani terrorists, the relevant authorities have appeared to have no solution to nip the situation in the bud.
Ogbonnia said, “I know one woman from Ihiala Anambra State and grandchild were shot and they are already dead. I just finished speaking with their relative and you called. It has become a daily occurrence in Nigeria, the Fulani menace, and it doesn’t appear as if the relevant authorities are in any way prepared to checkmate their atrocities.
“The other day we finished with the Prelate of the Methodist Church. He narrated his experiences. My neighbour here in Enugu was kidnapped and taken to the bush by the same Fulani herdsmen and his experiences are very horrific. They have spread all over the South.
“So it is very unfortunate that this kind of thing is allowed to continue happening every day. Today we talk about Fulani herdsmen, you talk about kidnappers, unknown gunmen, you talk about bandits, so how can the country grow?
“How can we have sustainable national development with all these kinds of violence here and there? With the instability of all kinds, how can we grow?” he asked, adding that any right-thinking person would condemn the criminal activities of Fulani herdsmen in the country.
Ohanaeze, however, condemned in its entirety the mass killing of worshippers in the Catholic Church.
It said the Nigerian government must curb the problem before it gets to a point where the people will have to take up arms to defend themselves.
“We regret that this has become a daily occurrence. It is also very unfortunate that the relevant authorities have not been able to overcome this kind of atrocities.
“Just as it happened in Ondo, every other day in the South East, we have been encountering similar problems.
“Finally, we still ask the chief security officer of the nation – the presidency to buckle up (sic), rise to the occasion and also to ask Amotekun to buckle up (sic) too; because if you wait on Federal police and other federal security agencies, they cannot help us.
“In the same way, we are calling on the South-East Governors to buckle up (sic), like what Ohanaeze has been telling them about the South East Security Network (Ebube-Agu). There’s a need for us to increase security consciousness across the South East and the entire South. We cannot wait until we are subdued no, we cannot wait.
“There is this saying that somebody surrounded by the enemy is always vigilant – it is another way of telling the South East, South-South that they have to improve on their security consciousness because security as they say is a collective responsibility. That responsibility is a product of consciousness.”
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How I Survived Terrorist Attack On Catholic Church In Ondo, Priest Narrates Experience
Rev Father Andrew Abayomi, a priest at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo, Ondo State, has narrated how the church was attacked by terrorists on Sunday.The cleric stated this while speaking with BBC Yoruba.He said, “We were about to round off service. I had even asked people to start leaving, then we started hearing gunshots coming from different angles.”
“We hid inside the church but some people had left when the attack happened. We locked ourselves in the church for 20 minutes. When we heard that they had left, we opened the church and rushed the victims to the hospital.”The cleric described the incident as evil. The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Most Reverend Jude Arogundade, had condemned the gruesome killing of members of the church. The cleric, in a statement signed by Rev. Fr. Augustine Ikwu, Director, Social Communications and obtained by SaharaReporters on Sunday, said, “It is Pentecost Sunday when every Catholic is expected to be in Church to commemorate the Solemnity. “It is so sad to say that while the Holy Mass was going on, unknown gunmen attacked St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, leaving many feared dead and many others injured and the Church violated. The identities of the perpetrators remain unknown while the situation has left the community devastated.”However, for now, security agencies have been deployed to the community to relatively handle the situation. At this point in the history of our dear country Nigeria, we need God’s ultimate intervention to restore peace and tranquillity.”Meanwhile, all the Priests and Bishop in the parish are safe and non was kidnapped as the social media has it. Nonetheless, let us continue to pray for them and the good people of Owo and the state at large. “We turn to God to console the families of those whose lives were lost to this distressing incident, and we pray for the departed souls to rest in peace. Amen.” The state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who had earlier reacted to the attack, said, “It is a black Sunday in Owo. Our hearts are heavy. Our peace and tranquillity have been attacked by the enemies of the people. This is a personal loss, an attack on our dear state. I have spoken to the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Most Reverend Jude Arogundade, who is presently on his way to Owo. Similarly, I have had to cut short my party’s national assignment in Abuja and visit Owo immediately.”SaharaReporters had reported the attack by terrorists on the church in the Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, with many people killed.
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Ondo Church Attack: Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Calls For Doctors’ Assistance, Blood Donations To Save Victims’ Lives
Following the massacre of worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Sunday, the Nigerian Medical Association has called for blood donations to save the lives of victims.
The NMA, in a statement issued by its President, Uche R. Ojinmah, appealed to Nigerians in the affected area to go to the hospitals where the injured are being treated to donate blood to save lives.
It also charged doctors in the state to mobilise themselves to participate in the treatment of the injured persons.
The statement reads, “The NMA received with sadness the news of the wanton killing of innocent Nigerians and abduction of some citizens at Owo in Ondo State by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
“The recurrent shedding of innocent blood in our dear country has been going on for far too long and it is the position of the Nigerian Medical Association that explanations, condemnations and reassurances are no longer comforting.
”The NMA hereby calls for quick intervention by our Governments and security agencies to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians in every part of this nation.
“The Nigerian Medical Association commiserates with the Government and good people of Ondo State over the loss of lives and prays for the quick recovery of those injured.
“We appeal to Nigerians in the affected area of Ondo State to kindly go to the hospitals where the injured are being treated to donate blood to save lives.
“We call on all doctors in Ondo State and the environs to mobilise themselves to participate in the treatment of the injured. NMA also calls for the release in good health of those abducted.
“Let’s all join hands to build a safe and secure Nigeria.”
However, the Catholic Diocese in Ondo has said no priest of the church was kidnapped during the attack. It is not yet clear if any member of the church was abducted by the terrorists.
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Yoruba Apex Group, Afenifere Says Terrorist Attack On Ondo Church Directed At Governor Akeredolu Over Amotekun, Anti-Open Grazing Law
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has described Sunday’s terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo town, Ondo State as one directed at Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for his unflinching support for security in Yoruba land.
While condemning the attack on Sunday, which resulted in the death of many worshippers, the group said the attack was targeted at Akeredolu for implementing anti-open grazing law and calling for Southern cooperation for equity and justice in Nigeria.
In a statement by the Organising Secretary of the association, Apagun Kole Omololu, the group also described the incident as a direct attack on Yoruba land.
Afenifere, which said the attack is to cause confusion in the region, vowed to hunt down the killers.
The statement reads, “The massacre in Owo Catholic church is a direct attack on Yoruba land.
“It is directed at Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for his unflinching support for security in Yoruba land by championing the Amotekun security outfits, his stringent upholding of the open grazing law, and for his ‘big mouth’ about Southern co-operation for equity and justice in Nigeria.
“We will not succumb to terrorist threats or attacks.
“They will not be allowed to bring down our civilisation. We will hunt the killers down. Citizens should not take law into their own hands by attacking innocent northerners. Only the terrorists, who are mostly foreign Fulani, should be fished out and finished off by the security forces.
“This attack is to cause confusion and cause war in our land. We should not play into their hands. This evil is condemned in the strongest term.
“We commiserate with the government and people of Ondo state, the Catholic Church, the Olowo of Owo and the people of Owo. May the soul of the departed rest in peace.”
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