Police have said that the gunmen who attacked a Catholic church in Owo, Ondo State, on Sunday, escaped the scene of the incident in a stolen car.
Unknown gunmen had attacked St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, killing about 50 persons and injuring several others.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, while speaking on the incident on Monday, said preliminary investigation by the police showed that some of the gunmen disguised as congregants, while others took different positions around the church before opening fire on the worshippers.
Police statement read, “The gunmen, from preliminary investigations, invaded the church with arms and materials suspected to be explosives.
“Police investigators who were part of the first responders deployed to the scene have recovered pellets of expended AK-47 ammunition while the Explosive Ordnance Devices – Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Explosives (EOD-CBRNE) unit confirmed the use of Explosives as fragments of the IEDs used were found and after thorough sweeping of the scene, 3 unexploded IEDs were recovered at the scene of the incident.
“Further investigations revealed that some of the gunmen disguised as congregants, while other armed men who had positioned themselves around the church premises from different directions, fired into the church.
“The assailants fled the scene using a Nissan Sunny car with Reg No. AKR 895 AG which was snatched from the owner, and escaped through Owo/Ute road.
“The vehicle has been recovered while the owner of the vehicle is currently assisting the police in its investigations.”