Gunmen Attack, Kill Six In Ondo Town

Some days after the Sunday massacre at Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, another dark day has hit Ondo State as gunmen opened fire and killed six persons in Ondo town.

The attack was reported to have occurred at Sabo and Igba areas of the town Thursday morning at 12:30 am.

The victims of the attack were said to include tea sellers, a commercial driver and roadside traders all of northern extraction.

It was gathered that the commercial driver who drove a J5 Peugeot bus had stopped at Sabo to eat before he was shot dead.

The gunmen were said to have stormed the area on three motorcycles after which they opened fire on the victims.

As of press time, the identities of the victim were yet to be ascertained.

Eyewitnesses said one of the casualties, who was hit by a bullet, was rushed to an undisclosed hospital in the area for treatment.

Some sources also claimed that it was some cultists that attacked a rival cult group while another stated that the mission of the gunmen was unknown as they shot sporadically, killing three persons in Sabo and one person at Igba.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Fumilayo Odunlami, said she would issue a statement after getting a proper brief.

Meanwhile, a police source in Ondo town, who confirmed the killings, said the gunmen were armed robbers who attempted to rob residents and traders in the area.

The Sarkin Hausawa of Ondo, Alhaji Abdulsalam Yusuf and Sarkin Hausawa of Shasha in Akure, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, both stated that the Hausa community had no hands in the Owo attack.

“We have been living peacefully for long with the people of Ondo State; we don’t have any problem with them. We are doing our businesses together, so what will lead us to attack them or to attack their church? 

“We want them to know that our people have no hand in the church attack," they said.