Owo church massacre: Three years of grief, justice still elusive

Just like any other day, the sun rose on June 5, 2022. It was a Sunday, coincidentally, the first in the month of June. In Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Christians prepared for Sunday service as usual, while others went about their daily business.

Residents moved about in colourful attire, heading to their places of worship. Shops were open, commercial activities in motion, and health workers were on duty. The atmosphere across the town was calm, lively, and welcoming.

I, like many others, made my way to the church, located in the Egbin Ogbe area. But just around noon, as most churches were concluding their services, something unimaginable happened.

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We were nearing the end of service when a deafening sound rang out. It was so loud, even the deaf could sense it. Those asleep jolted upright. It was a dynamite.

Before anyone could fully comprehend what had happened, a second blast occurred, then gunshots followed. People started to flee in panic, while others froze, trying to make sense of the chaos.

As I stood confused, shouts rang out in the town’s dialect: “Igboro Ogho mati daru ooo. O tii yin ban St Francis Church. O tii po ne ooo. Do none joko suli ooo.” Translation: “The town is in chaos. There’s shooting at St. Francis Church. Many have been killed. Everyone, stay indoors.”

Those with nearby homes ran back in terror. I, along with others who lived farther away, remained where we were, frozen with fear.

St. Francis Catholic Church on Owaluwa Street was just about 10 minutes from the location I was. The shooting had started just as the Mass was ending. While mentally preparing to flee, I tried to chart the safest route for escape. Eventually, my family and I found a way out.

As we made our way home, the streets were eerily empty. Shops were shut, the market closed, and traffic nearly non-existent.

Once home, I changed into a more suitable outfit to report the incident in my capacity as a journalist for The PUNCH Newspaper. At the church, less than 200 metres from the palace of the town’s monarch, the Olowo of Owo, the air had turned from peaceful to sorrowful. People cried openly, while others rained curses on the attackers. The entire scene was filled with questions, confusion, and despair.

Entering the church brought a wave of emotion. I remembered, as a child, the children who used to sell biscuits and sweets at the gate during services. That day, I saw blood on the church entrance, likely belonging to one of those children. I stood still for several seconds, haunted by the memory.

The altar had been defiled; windows shattered by bullets. Worshippers—men and women, young and old—were massacred. Blood was everywhere. The children’s department, located near the main auditorium, was in disarray.

It was a black day for Owo, Ondo State, and Nigeria. The story made headlines internationally.

The then-governor, the late Rotimi Akeredolu, visited and addressed the grieving community, vowing justice. At the hospitals, victims cried out in pain. Families grieved, and the dead were taken to the morgue. Medical workers at St. Louis Hospital and the Federal Medical Centre worked tirelessly.

Days later, I visited the homes of some victims. The sorrow was palpable.

What Has Changed?

Three years have passed. Although the military claimed to have apprehended the attackers, many still question why the suspects were never paraded publicly. No significant updates have come from the security agencies or the state government since the arrest announcement by retired General Lucky Irabor, then Chief of Defence Staff.

It seems everyone else has moved on except the victims’ families. Many are still nursing wounds both physical and emotional. Wives mourn husbands, children remember lost parents, and parents still grieve their murdered sons and daughters.

Three years later, has justice been served? What hope remains for those families?

Since that dark day, insecurity continues to plague Ondo State including Owo, the hometown of the sitting deputy governor, Olayide Adelami. Recently, national newspapers reported threats from bandits planning a similar attack.

This is a wake-up call. Both the federal and Ondo State governments under President Bola Tinubu and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa must act urgently. Security must not only be intensified around St. Francis Church but across the state.

The massacre of June 5, 2022, remains a haunting memory for many. And until justice is served, the wounds will remain open.

Damilola Olufemi is a Nigerian journalist, field reporter of the June 5, 2022 St Francis Catholic Church massacre. He can be reached via [email protected]