According to Aregbesola, the motive of ISWAP is to pitch Nigerians against each another and make it appear as ethno-religious war.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Even without any arrests or conclusive forensic investigation and evidence, the Federal Government on Thursday blamed the Islamic State, West African Province (ISWAP) for the attack at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, in Ondo State that led to the death of about 38 persons.
Terrorists had invaded the Catholic Church last Sunday with bombs and other sophisticated weapons, killing and maiming innocent people who went to worship God.
The Government also said that no arrest has been made on the kidnap of the Methodist Prelate, Samuel Kanu-Uche and two other priests.
This is as the Nigerian Police said it was deploying 17,374 officers and men for the governorship election in Ekiti State.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of Security Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, flanked by the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, said that the Owo Catholic Church attack was perpetrated by international criminals.
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Aregbesola, who said that no arrest has been made, further said that the security agencies had been directed to go after the perpetrators of the act and bring them to justice, adding that the security was now zeroing in on them.
He noted that the attack has neither ethnic nor religious connotation as he affirmed that ISWAP’s activities have nothing to do with real religion.
According to Aregbesola, the motive of ISWAP is to pitch Nigerians against each another and make it appear as ethno-religious war.
The minister stated that the council is also concerned about killings in the name of blasphemy and has directed the security agencies to go after perpetrators of both incidents that occurred in Sokoto State and Abuja recently.
He added that enough security arrangement has been made for the Ekiti State gubernatorial election taking place on June 18, 2022.
On the kidnap of the Methodist Prelate, the Minister said there has been a lead and that the security agencies were still looking for the suspects and how the ransom was paid.
He said there was no ethnic agenda in the attack, urging Nigerians to unite and defeat the terrorists.
