The National Association of Catholic Lawyers (NACL) has described as cruel, the killing of worshippers on Sunday at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, headquarters of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
In a statement on Monday, the President of NACL, Mr Chukwuemeka Ezeala said that the worshippers were massacred in cold blood during the church service.
108Scoop reports that the worshippers numbering over 50 were killed inside the St. Francis Catholic Church on June 5 when the unknown gunmen opened fire on the congregation.
A viral video on social media depicted several of the worshippers in a pool of blood.
According to Ezeala, it is cruel and sacrilegious that innocent worshippers are attacked in the serene town of Owo and massacred in cold blood.
“The National Association of Catholic Lawyers condemns in absolute terms the reckless and abominable crime perpetrated by the monsters.
“May the souls of the martyrs rest in the Lord,” he said.
Ezeala condoled the Catholic Bishop of Akure and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria on the loss.
He prayed to God to console the families of the dead and grant quick recovery to the wounded.
He called on the state government to arrest and prosecute those involved in the abominable act.
108scoop learned that some corpses had since been moved out of the church with many casualties admitted to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, for medical attention.
He explained that the worshippers were caught unaware, adding the casualty might be more as some worshippers had been rushed to the hospital.
He added that the gunmen also used some explosives within the compound of the church but said most of the people were hit with gunshots.
The perpetrators were said to have fled the scene immediately after carrying out the killing, leaving many people dead.
A nurse at Owo who spoke to Tribune Online on condition of anonymity said not much medical personnel were on the ground to attend to the casualties at the emergency unit of the hospital.
