At least 50 dead after attack on church in Nigeria

At least 50 dead after brutal church attack in southwestern Nigeria.

Although the authorities have not yet offered an official figure, they have stated that there are many children among the dozens of deceased.

In addition, the presiding priest was kidnapped by the attackers.

MASSACRE IN CHURCH. At least 50 people are reported dead after a brutal attack on a church located in southwestern Nigeria. Although the local authorities have not yet ventured to offer an official figure, they have stated that there are also many children among the deceased.

This Pentecost Sunday, a group of parishioners was attending the St. Francis Catholic Church in Ondo state, when a group of armed men opened fire on the crowd and detonated explosives, causing a terrible massacre, legislator Ogunmolasuyi Oluwole said.

At least 50 dead after attack on church in Nigeria

Photo: Twitter

Local authorities did not offer a precise number of victims. However, Adelegbe Timileyin, representative of the Owo area in the lower legislative chamber of Nigeria, indicated that at least 50 people had been killed in the armed attack. That was not all.

Timileyin revealed that the presiding priest had also been kidnapped by the attackers. After the ferocious attack, alleged videos began to appear in which parishioners could be seen lying in pools of blood while others cried around them.

The Pope reacts to the massacre

Photo: Twitter

The brutal massacre generated the reaction of hundreds worldwide, including Pope Francis. «The Pope has learned of the attack on the church in Ondo, Nigeria, and the death of dozens of parishioners, many children, during the celebration of Pentecost,» the statement from the Vatican starts.

«While details are being clarified, Pope Francis prays for the victims and the country painfully affected in a moment of celebration, and commends them both to the Lord to send His spirit to console them,» said the statement sent by the office of Vatican press.

Who is responsible?

Photo: Twitter

“Only the demons of the nether region could have conceived and carried out such a vile act,” Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said, according to a statement from his spokesman. “No matter what happens, this country will never give in to evil people and the darkness will never defeat the light. Nigeria will finally win.”

For his part, the governor of Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu, not only expressed his condolences on Twitter, but declared that the security forces were doing everything to find those responsible. “I call on our people to stay calm and let the security agencies take over. They are taking this seriously. Please don’t take the law into your hands. The perpetrators will never escape. We are after them. And I can assure you that we will get them!” he said.

«This is too much»

Photo: Twitter

The Nigerian authorities continue to work to find those responsible for the attack, although as of now it is not clear who they could have been. Despite the problems with violence in Nigeria, Ondo state stood out as one of the most peaceful in the country.

«In the history of Owo, we have never experienced such an ugly incident,» said lawmaker Ogunmolasuyi Oluwole. «This is too much,» he added. For now, the Nigerian security forces have not offered any information about his operation or if they have information about any suspects, The Associated Press reported.