Photo: Acting IGP Olatunji Disu
The Ondo State Police has confirmed another attack of worship in the same axis of Ondo State, barely hours after security agencies announced the arrest of a key suspect linked to the 2022 Owo church massacre,
The Ondo State Police Command on Wednesday confirmed that six worshippers were abducted when gunmen stormed a Celestial Church along the Uso/Owo Expressway in Owo Local Government Area.
The attack occurred at about 12:50 a.m. on February 25, according to police spokesperson DSP Abayomi Jimoh, who was quoted by NAN report.
The assailants reportedly whisked the victims away to an unknown destination.
The incident comes amid heightened security sensitivity in Owo, the town that witnessed one of Nigeria’s deadliest church attacks in June 2022, when gunmen killed over 40 worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church.
Security agencies recently announced the arrest of an alleged mastermind of that massacre after years on the run — a development widely described as a breakthrough in the long quest for justice.
However, the latest abduction has renewed anxiety among residents, raising questions about persistent vulnerabilities in the area.
Jimoh said that upon receiving the distress report, police operatives, working with the Nigerian Army and local vigilante groups, launched a coordinated rescue operation.
“As a result of sustained joint efforts, one of the kidnapped victims has been successfully rescued,” he said.
Police also confirmed the arrest of one suspected informant believed to be connected to the attack. The suspect is currently assisting ongoing investigations.
Security operations remain underway to secure the release of the remaining five victims and apprehend those responsible.
Authorities have urged residents to remain calm and provide actionable intelligence to aid rescue efforts.
For many in Owo, the fresh assault on a church — even as investigations into the 2022 massacre advance — underscores lingering security concerns in a community still recovering from past trauma.
