Ondo solicits donation for church attack victims, as gunmen strike again

The Ondo State Government has appealed to public-spirited individuals in society to donate to the victims of last week terrorist attack that left 40 church worshippers dead.

TheCornet had reported the deadly gun attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo.

As a result, the government, in a statement signed by Richard Olatunde, the chief press secretary to the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has provided a designated bank account for the victims.

The statement said the account will “receive further donations from well meaning individuals and corporate bodies who may wish to assist the victims of the terrorist attack in Owo.

The account is designated as ODSG- OWO TERRORIST ATTACK RELIEF FUND/ACCOUNT NO -1401203148/PROVIDUS BANK.  The government also promised to continue to commit “its resources to the security of lives and property.”

At the same time, some motor-cycle riding gunmen have reportedly killed at least six persons at Sabo axis of Ondo town, Ondo state.

The gunmen invaded the community on Wednesday night, as reported by ThePunch.

The criminals are also said to have robbed some residents of the area before they left the scene.

However, Funmilayo Odunlami, Ondo police spokesperson, said the attack was rather a robbery incident. She confirmed that the assailants shot at four people from different ethnic backgrounds, thereby debunking the claim the attack was a reprisal.

“There was an attempted robbery and then the men who attempted to rob opened fire on some people,” she said.

“Among the people who were shot, there was a Yourba man, even an Igbo man. There was no form of reprisal on northerners.

“They were not northerners. There was a shooting and four people were shot at. There was no attack on the Hausa community,” she said.