FG fingers ISWAP as culprits in Owo Church massacre

Security chiefs who attended Thursday’s Security Council Meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja have narrowed down the perpetrators of Sunday’s church killings in Owo, Ondo State to the Islamic State of West Africa(ISWAP).

Although no arrest has been made as investigations and trailing of the terrorists were still ongoing, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola debunked insinuations that the attacks had ethnic or religious coloration.

The security council meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari, had the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Boss Mustapha; the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (retd) in attendance.

Other attendees include the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao.

Also in attendance are the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman; the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

Recall that Nigerians woke up to a gory sight of over 25 church members killed by unknown gunmen, a development that has elicited condemnations across the country.

But briefing State House Correspondents on some of the resolutions taken after the meeting, Aregbesola said security channels have zeroed the suspects to the ISWAP.

“Council is quite concerned about the violent attack in Ondo state and we have been able to locate the perpetrators, we have zeroed it that ISWAP did it, the animals in ISWAP wanting attention are responsible, we have asked security personnel to go after them and bring them to justice”.