The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, has given an update on the attack on the Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, in June 5, 2022.
Gen. Irabor said it took the combined effort of the military, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies in a sting operation to arrest the suspected terrorists who carried out the attack.
Most of the over 50 people who were killed in the gory attack were given mass burial by the state government.
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Gen. Irabor, disclosed this,on Tuesday, said the military were unable to parade the suspects because investigations were still ongoing.
Narrating how the terrorists were fished out, Gen. Irabor said, “I want to tell you that we have arrested the attackers of Owo Church. We were to parade them today for you to be but investigations are still ongoing.
“For the purpose of this interaction, I will like to read out their names and as I read out their names, let me say that it is not just the armed forces but the DSS, the police and other intelligence agencies were parts and parcel of the some of the efforts to apprehend these criminals who that have put us and indeed the nation on the toes.
“On August 7, Idris Ojo, 37, was apprehended at Aiyetorosi in Ondo State. He is one of the high profile Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) that escaped from Kuje Prison.
“Alongside with him is one Jimoh Ibrahim, a 39-year-old criminal who was also arrested.
“Idris Ojo was not done with all the criminal activities which he undertook in the past. He was also planning other deadly attacks and he was perfecting those plans along with his cronies before he was apprehended.
“On August 4, again, the military in a combined operation with the DSS arrested four terrorists at Eika in Okehi local government of Kogi State. These are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, otherwise known as Ibn Malik; Momoh Abubakar, Aliyu Itopa and Auwal Onimisi.
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“Now, Omeiza is one of the masterminds of the June 5 Catholic Church attack in Owo as well as the attack on the police station in Adavi also in Kogi State that led to the killing of a policeman as well as weapons being carried away”.
The Defence chief noted that the military has neutralised many bandits terrorising the country.
On the Kaduna train attack, Irabor said the military was working to ensure the rescue of victims as directed by the President.
Gen. Irabor also dismissed the idea of recruiting mercenaries to support the military in the fight against the terrorists.
The Defence chief, who stated this in his address at the Chief of Defence Staff media parley with media executives at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) also said the military in collaboration with other security agencies have arrested those behind 5 June 2022 attack on a Catholic Church in Ondo State.
He advised that the resources that would have been used to hire mercenaries should be channeled to build the capacity of the military, which has the responsibility of protecting the country.
Gen. Irabor continued, “Mercenary is not an option, it is a half story. Mercenaries are commercial entities moving from one place to the other. We should rather use the resources to build the capacity of those that have the responsibility to protect the country.”
He, however, reassured Nigerians that the Military will do everything possible to defend the territorial integrity of the country, adding that it would not relinquish the control of the country to terrorists.
Irabor urged Nigerians, especially the media, to unite against the enemies of the state.
His words, “The core responsibility of the military is to protect the territorial integrity of the country.
“A nation is as strong as its Military and there are various avenues you can weaken your Military.
“There are people who are strong physically but you can attack them emotionally and their strength will be useless.
“Do not encourage people to weaken the emotional strength of the Armed Forces. If you do, every one of us will be the losers.
“God has created this space for us to dominate. Our dominating and exploiting the resources of the State is a collective responsibility. It is for us, our families and our children to enjoy. It is not for us to abandon it for some other idiots to take over; it is for us to defend and enjoy. So, whatever it will take to defend the nation, we will do”.