Owo massacre: Monarch denies arrest of Catholic Church attackers

The Nigerian Police and other security agencies have confirmed that the news were just rumours.

The Nigerian Police in Ondo State have denied rumours that the perpetrators of the Owo Catholic Church attack have been apprehended.

On Sunday, 5th of June, Gunmen attacked the Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo during its Sunday service and killed scores of attendees.

According to reports, forty of the 127 service attendees were killed with over five dozens of survivors left injured.

Meanwhile, rumours emerged on Thursday evening that the terrorists who attacked the church have been apprehended. Some reports on social media stated that diabolic means have been used to summon the perpetrators to the scene of the crime.

On hearing the reports, residents of Owo town besieged the palace of the Oluwo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye to confirm the news of the arrests of the suspects.

However, they were met with disappointment as Oba Ogunoye said he only heard about the news just like they did and asked them to remain calm.

According to Pulse news, an anonymous source from the palace said it was only a rumour.

“It was only a rumour,” the source said. Youths besieged the palace in their thousands when the rumour broke out, but it was discovered to be a false alarm.

“Kabiyesi was only trying to hail their doggedness as he told them that, ‘I heard the rumour like you too’, admonishing them to be patient to authenticate it.

“But it was later discovered that the story was about a group arrested along Owo/Benin boundary in possession of dangerous weapon.”

The Police Public Relations Officer of the state, SP Funmilayo Odunlami also denied the news while speaking with reporters.

“I can not confirm anything like that. There is no story like that in the state,” she said.