Federal Government Links ISWAP To Owo Church Killings

President Muhammadu Buhari and his security chiefs rose from their council meeting on Thursday to link the recent church killings in Owo, Ondo State to the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP).

The revelation came after the meeting presided over by the President, where he received briefs on other security matters.

Although no arrest has been made, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola gave indications that security agencies were still investigating and trailing the terrorists.

Aregbesola, however, debunked insinuations that the attacks had ethnic or religious colouration.

Among those that took part in the meeting were the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Boss Mustapha; the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (retd).

Other attendees include the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao.

Also in attendance are the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman; the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

Recall that Nigerians woke up to a gory sight of over 25 church members being killed by unknown gunmen, a development that elicited various condemnation.

Briefing State House Correspondents of some resolutions after the meeting, Aregbesola said, “Council is quite concerned about the violent attack in Ondo state and we have been able to locate the perpetrators, we have zeroed it that ISWAP did it, the animals in ISWAP wanting attention are responsible, we have asked security personnel to go after them and bring them to justice”.