Group Condemns Owo Massacre

A formidable socio-political youth organisation in Southern Nigeria, the Southern Nigeria Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Council (SNENYC) has condemned in strong terms the recent killing of over 50 worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State by terrorists.
The group, which made the condemnation in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Mathew Dighi, described the incident as obnoxious, nefarious and unbecoming, saying, it is an invitation to religious war.
While it called on the Federal Government to guarantee the safety of Christian worshippers in the country and with alacrity bring justice to bear, it noted that the incident is “ an apparent evidence that the tie of unity, peace and love we are preaching and trying to strengthen is threatened.”
In as much as the council acknowledged the efforts of the Federal Government to eliminate terrorists in the country, it suggested that stringent measures should be put in place to contain and curb insecurity in the country.
SNENYC further lamented that several innocent souls have died as a result of insecurity in the country, contending that the ugly trend amounts to a monumental loss to the nation, and urged security operatives in the country to leave no stone unturned in fishing out the perpetrators of the dastardly and unscrupulous act to ensure that they are brought to justice.
While condoling with the families of the victims and the Owo community, the council expressed empathy to the Executive Governor of Ondo State, Barrister Rotimi Akeredolu, who is Chairman of Southern Governors’ Forum, and urged them to be courageous in the face of adversity, and not be discouraged and demoralised by the ugly incident, as the blood of the innocent victims shall one day speak against the perpetrators.
The group said while it perceives the Owo incident as a threat to Christian worshippers in the country, it would not tolerate any further occurrence of such inhuman act, stressing that such reoccurrence could incite the Christian Community in the South to avenge the blood of their innocent brethren in the mosques as well.