Owo Attack: Ondo Gives Succour to Victims, Families of the Deceased
Fidelis David in Akure
The Ondo State Government, yesterday, provided succur to the victims of the June 5 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo which led to the death of 41 people.
Those who benefited from the cash gifts included Mr. Agbom Paul, who lost his late brother’s wife; Evaristus Oluchukwu; Mrs. Helen Ifeanyi; Fabian Nweke; Mrs. Theophine Ogoegbunam; Chief Titus Oranuba, injured; Sunday Festus; Precious Sunday; Oladele Christianah; Ozorchukwu Angela; and Ofene Joseph.
Chairman of the donation management committee, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, who led other members of the committee to Owo, said the move was in fulfillment of the promise made by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, to give required support to all the victims of the attack.
Akinterinwa explained that the committee collated the names and addresses of all the victims, families of the deceased and the injured, based on the funds received into the account so far, donated by public-spirited individuals and corporate organisations, adding that the disbursement would continue if more funds were received into the account.
He said: ”This is another series of support the Ondo State Government is giving to the victims. What we have done on this occasion is to collate all the victims, families of the deceased and the injured, based on the funds we have received into the account we opened, we felt that it was proper with the approval of the governor to reach out to these families and that is why we are here today.
“We have given each of the families of the deceased and the injured cash gifts and as we receive more funds into the account, we will continue to disburse. At the end of the day, we will make public all the funds received, the amount received from home where we were allowed to and it will be transparent and how it was judiciously utilised.
“We want to thank all those who have donated on behalf of the Ondo State Government, we thank them for their immense contribution, as God will continue to bless them. Also, to let all the members of the public know that the account is still very much open and we are still expecting and willing to receive donations, it can never be too much and for those who still want to donate, our account will be made available. If you go to our website, you can still make donations,” Akinterinwa stressed.
Some of the families of the injured and deceased thanked the state government for the relief fund given to them.
One of the injured, Ayo Adetunji, a young boy, said the incident happened with no prior notice, adding that it was God that saved his life. He, however, appreciated the state government for remembering him with such a relief fund.
