Ondo State Police command has denied knowledge of the arrest of the suspected perpetrators of the last Sunday attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo where 44 people were killed and 87 severely injured.
Although there are speculations that some of the suspected perpetrators of the attack were arrested by local vigilantes in Owo, the police dispelled the speculations.
In a video which has gone viral on the social media, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye was seen addressing his subjects and assured that the perpetrators would be brought to book.
However, there are background noise in the video which suggested that the perpetrators of the Sunday church attack have been arrested.
It was gathered that residents of Owo had besieged the palace of the Olowo of Owo to demand for justice over the killing of their people.
The news of the rumoured arrest filtered in and residents who have been mourning the death of their loved ones to the heinous crime besieged the palace to catch a glimpse of bandits at the palace.
Addressing the crowd in owo dialect, oba ogunoye asked them to remain calm, saying he heard the same unconfirmed news just like the residents heard that the assailants had been arrested.
Our correspondent however contacted the Police Public Relations, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami to confirm the arrest and she simply replied: “I’m not aware.”
A source within the palace of Olowo however told our correspondent that the information was only a rumour as there was nothing of such.
The source who didn’t want his name mentioned said: “it was only a rumour. The youths besieged the palace in their thousands when the rumour broke out, but it was discovered to be false alarm.
“Kabiyesi was only trying to hail their doggedness as he told them that “I heard the rumour as well” and enjoined them to be calm.
However, an unconfirmed source hinted that some Fulani/Hausa youths who were in possession of dangerous weapon were arrested along Owo-Benin road.
Credit: Daily Sun