Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State says the government did not do enough to protect victims of the Owo church attack.

He spoke on Friday during a funeral mass held for the victims of the St. Francis Catholic Church attack.

“We have failed to defend these people. Not because we have not tried. But because these forces on the other side are evil,” the governor said.

Governor Akeredolu noted that “the sight of the victims of the horrendous attack cuts deep in our hearts”.

The Chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum, however, said “we take solace in the Divine even as we hold the assurance that light will always prevail in the end. May the souls of the departed requiescat in pace.”

We were in Owo Today for the funeral mass for the victims of the June 5th, Terror attack at the Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owo.
The sight of the victims of the horrendous attack cuts deep in our hearts. pic.twitter.com/JbPInNYoqs
— Arakunrin Akeredolu (@RotimiAkeredolu) June 17, 2022

After the funeral mass at the Mydas Event Centre in Owo, families of the victims took the remains of their loved ones for burial.

A former governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko, was among the dignitaries that graced the event.

Some clergymen, including Bishop Jude Arogundade of Ondo Catholic Diocese and Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, also attended the funeral.

Over 40 persons were killed in the attack with several others injured. See photos below.