Atiku donates N10m to victims of Owo massacre

BY BRIGHT JACOB

Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the February 25, 2023, presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, has donated N10 million to victims of the terrorist attack at the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.

Atiku donated the amount after he paid a condolence visit to the people of the town at the palace of the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye.

The former vice president was represented by a former PDP governorship candidate in the state, Eyitayo Jegede, together with members of the State’s Working Committee of the party.

Speaking at the palace of the traditional ruler, Atiku, through Jegede, bemoaned the spate of insecurity in the country, stressing that his visit should not be politicised, but seen as a call for the people to “stand” with those who can bring them out of the situation they found themselves.

“The issue of insecurity is not about politics, but we must stand with people who will ensure that we are out of the situation we currently find ourselves in this country.

”I am here on behalf of my party, National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the candidate of our party in the forthcoming presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the entire PDP members in Ondo state.

“Atiku Abubakar has directed that a sum of N10 million should be released for the treatment of the victims immediately.

“We are here to condole with you on the terror attack on the terror attack on St Francis Catholic, Owa-Iuwa Street, Owo. We pray that such a thing does not happen in our land again.

“We cannot continue like this. This is a call to duty for everyone one of us to be more vigilant, and conscious and must be ready to protect ourselves.

”This is not about politics. We must stand with people who will ensure that we are out of this situation we find ourselves in this country.”

On June 5, suspected gunmen had stormed the church, killing over 50 worshippers in the church, sparking outrage in the country.

The Federal Government said it was zeroing in on ISWAP, a terror group, and that the attack was not an ethno-religious thing. According to the FG, it was the “animals in ISWAP” who wanted attention and recognition, that were suspected to have launched the attack.

However, the governor of the state, Rotimi Akeredolu, had cautioned the government at the centre, saying the statement by them was too hasty, and he took it with a pinch of salt. The governor’s argument was that the terror group doesn’t hide its attacks and would usually own up to any attack they carried out.