Some Nigerians have thrown doubts on the suspected perpetrators of Catholic Church massacre in Owo, Ondo state.
Recall that gunmen had stormed St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, killing no fewer than 40 worshippers, with the Federal Government, saying the Islamic States of West Africa Province terrorists were behind the attack.
During a meeting with editors and media executives in Abuja on Tuesday, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor confirmed that the Owo attackers had been nabbed.
Irabor said the suspects would be paraded after an investigation had been concluded into the matter.
He said, “Within the last time we met, we have recorded remarkable achievement. Let me bring it to your notice that within the same period, there have been ignoble actions of men of the underworld that have impinged on our collective well-being, namely the unfortunate train attack, the attack on Kuje correctional center as well as what has been reported in the past the attack on the presidential convoy.
“Also, the Owo incident which was intended to bring man and women of the armed forces to present them in a form and shape that make it to look as if the nation is on a siege. We have arrested those behind the dastardly act in Owo.
“It was my intention to present them to the public, but because of the investigation still going on, I had to change my mind. I will like to say that in due course, the world will see them and others who are behind other daring attacks in the country.”
According to both the CDS and Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State those arrested are Idris Abdul Malik Omeiza, Momoh Ojowu Abu, Aliyu Yusuf and Auwal Onimisi.
However, according to a Facebook user, named Simon Julius Itopa, the arrest shows a conspiracy against Igbira people. He said one of the suspect named Idris Ojo was reportedly one of the terrorists that attacked the Owo Church was also on the list of the prison escapees in when Boko Haram sect members raid the Kuje prison in Abuja freeing hundreds of detainees.
He wrote: “If he is the same person, then something is wrong somewhere. Because, the church was attacked before the attack of Abuja prison.
Also reacting to the released names, former media aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri took to his social media page to say the names sound too close to home and not as they think. He said he remembered that they blamed a particular ethnic group when the church was attacked.
His post read, “Will we keep pretending that the names of those who perpetrated the #OwoMassacre are not names most of us expected. The names are too close to home for comfort. I vividly remember we condemned a certain ethnicity. But if those names are genuine, what do we say now?”
