The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, has been tasked by the Catholic Bishop of the Ekiti Diocese, Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, to inform Nigerians of any suspects who have been detained in connection with the attack on the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo on June 5, 2022.
It is important for the church and Nigerians to know what happened to the arrested suspects and whereabouts if they were really arrested as the authorities claimed, according to the bishop who made the call in a statement on Tuesday to mark the one-year anniversary of the incident in which over 40 worshippers were killed.
“There was outright condemnation within and outside Nigeria against the evil and unprovoked attack,” Bishop Ajakaye said.
“Typical of the then President Muhammadu Buhari Government, it commiserated with the Church, Ondo State and the people concerned, and it promised to arrest the culprits.
“Really, the government was widely known of its promise of always being ‘on top of the situation’, though it was never seen to be on top of the action.
“Surprisingly, a few months after the attack, addressing a World Press Conference, General Lucky Irabor, the Chief Defence Staff, informed the world that arrests had been made regarding the Sunday attack at St Francis Catholic Church, Owo.
“Unfortunately, to date, exactly one year after, we have not heard anything again from the Army General. Now, a question for the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor.
“Please, Sir, when shall we be lucky to know what has become of the people you told Nigerians and the whole world were arrested due to their involvement in the massacre of the over 41 people and scores of people seriously injured during the Church attack of the worshippers by such people in Owo on 5 June 2023?
“Until an answer is given, we shall keep asking the question. Remember, the cases of the Chibok girls, Leah Sharibu and others are still there,” the Bishop said.