Ondo Confirms 22 Dead, 18 injured in Catholic Church Attack

Fidelis David in Akure
The Commissioner for Health in Ondo State, Dr Banji Ajaka, has said a total of 22 worshippers have been confirmed dead in the  attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, in Owo Local Government Area of the state on Sunday.

Ajaka, who spoke in an interview with journalists on Tuesday in Akure, confirmed the official casualties figure saying a total of eighty-eight worshippers were affected by the attack on the Church, which occurred during Mass on Sunday. 
He said: “The total involved as of today (Tuesday) is 88. And the breakdown is this; out of the 88, we have confirmed 22 dead. 
“So, there were about 7 people treated on an outpatient basis at St. Louis hospital. They were 18 on admission at the same hospital”, he added. 
The official confirmation came less than twenty-four hours after the Nigeria Police Force issued a statement, saying they recovered unexploded IEDs and pellets of expended AK-47 ammunition from the scene of the attack. 
As of the time of filing this report, the motive of the assailants is not yet known even though the police have launched an investigation into the attack.