The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has condemned last Sunday’s killing of worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church Owo, Ondo state, describing it as a barbaric and animalistic’ act by people with eroded humanity.
While lamenting that mosques in the North have suffered similar attacks in the past, ACF Secretary General, Murtala Aliyu, said the attacks was aimed at turning Nigerians against each other, while calling on citizens to unite and stand against such dastardly acts.
He also tasked security agencies to up their intelligence gathering and surveillance as blaming killings on unknown gunmen is no longer acceptable.
“The Arewa Consultative Forum is shocked over what it considers as the most barbaric and implacable human act, in the recent time. The killing of innocent worshippers, at St. Francis Catholic Church, in Owo Town of Ondo state, on a first service week, ushering the month of June, could best be described as an unimaginable erosion of humanity enveloping the nation.
“ACF frowns at such animalistic attack on a peace-loving community, in which scores of lives were lost, with others battling for their lives in the hospitals. Similar killings have taken place in mosques in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Kaduna states, in the North West and Borno and Yobe states in the North East.
“These attack of worship centers are aimed at setting our dear peace-loving people against each other.
“The Arewa Consultative Forum will strongly appreciate all efforts be put in bringing the culprits to book. The Forum shall not take any excuse of linking such dastardly act to only unknown gunmen, as we live and dine with the perpetrators in our communities. It is, no more, acceptable to allow such inexorable killings happening without an inkling of an intelligence report that could nip that in the bud.
“Let our security operatives pay the necessary attentions in saving Nigeria of valuable lives. A loss of a human life is a loss of a nation.
“The Arewa Consultative Forum sends its condolence messages to the Ondo state government, the Owo community and the immediate and extended families of the deceased, while praying for the quick recovery of the injured,” ACF scribe added.
