Nation
Owo Massacre: 40 Victims Get Mass Burial, Friday
The Catholic Diocese of Ondo has fixed Friday, June 17, 2022 for the mass burial of those who lost their lives in the terrorists attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo , Ondo State last Sunday.
The Diocese’s Director of Social Communication, Rev. Fr. Augustine Ikwu, who confirmed the date of the mass burial on Monday, said that no fewer than 40 persons died in the attack while many others sustained injuries.
Ikwu said the mass burial would take place at the church’s new cemetery at Emure Road, Owo.
“The mass burial would take place at the new cemetery of the church on Friday in Owo”, he said.
He maintained that the number of the deceased still remained 40.
It was gathered that the injured victims are still receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre and the St. Louis Catholic Hospital in Owo and some other private hospitals in the state.
However, no one has been arrested in connection with the attack.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has declared a three-day mourning for the victims of the attack.
The governor, in a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omostoso, on Monday, directed that all flags should fly at half-mast as part of decision to mourn the victims at the Southern Governors’ meeting.
Sanwo-Olu also urged Lagos residents and visitors to remain law-abiding and vigilant as the government is doing everything to ensure that peace continues to prevail in the state.
He said, “Flags are flying at half-mast in Lagos following Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s directive. The action is for three days to mourn the victims of the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, terrorist attack.
“The decision to mourn the victims came at a Southwest Governors’ June 10 virtual meeting, which reviewed the security situation in the region. The communique issued after the meeting was signed by Governors Rotimi Akeredolu, Ondo; Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti; Gboyega Oyetola, Osun; Dapo Abiodun, Ogun; Seyi Makinde, Oyo and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos.
“The governors condemned in very strong terms the horrendous crime perpetrated by terrorists against the people and residents of Owo, Ondo State and, by extension, the peace-loving people of the South-West”.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3