Owo Church Killing: Oyo Government Declares Three-Day Mourning Period

The Oyo State Government has declared a three-day mourning period in honour of the victims of terrorist attack at the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.

The decision, according to a statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun, is in compliance with the communique issued at the end of a virtual meeting of the governors of the Southwest states, held on Friday.

The statement says the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has approved that flags fly at half mast from Monday June 13, to Wednesday, June 15, 2022, in honour of the slain victims of the Owo Catholic Church attack.

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The statement reads in part: “The government of Oyo State hereby announces a three-day mourning period in honour of the victims of the Owo Catholic Church massacre.

“Flags are to be flown at half mast between Monday June 13 and Wednesday June 15 at all public buildings and offices.”

In the statement, the SSG said the governors condemn, in very strong terms, the horrendous crime perpetrated by terrorists against the people and residents of Owo, Ondo State, and, by extension, the peace-loving people of the Southwest and also sympathize with the victims of the mindless attack in Owo.

The statement says the governors have, consequently, agreed to declare the 3-day mourning period in memory of the victims of the 5th June, 2022 terror attack on St Francis Catholic, Owaluwa Street, Owo, Ondo State, to symbolise the collective loss across all Southwestern states in Nigeria.

“The Governors noted, with great discomfiture, the increasing agitations about spaces taken over by unidentified and unknown migrants in all Southwest States. 

“The meeting, therefore, recommends an increase in the scope of surveillance of the activities of these undocumented settlers by relevant security agencies in all the States.

“The Governors, as Chief Security Officers, resolved to continue to assist the security agencies in the areas of crisis management and intelligence gathering at all times,” the statement discloses.

Olubamiwo noted, in the statement, that the governors have reviewed reports from various states on the factors militating against peace and security in the region and have expressed grave concern on the influx of commercial motorcyclist riders into all parts of the Southwest, especially the state capitals, resolving that efforts be geared towards identity management of the riders and stringent regulation put in place for their operation.

The statement notes that the Southwest governors decided to reconvene the Southwest Security Committee to look critically into the menace of commercial motorcyclist riders’ influx and submit its findings on the desirability of the motorcyclists’ operations in the region, as well as a multi-level template to combat the threat of insurgency and terrorism in the region.

The communique was signed by governors Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Babajide Sanwoolu (Lagos).

Ime N