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The Africa chapter of the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU) has condemned the attack on Sunday on worshippers of the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, describing the incident as one death too many.
In a statement made available to the media by the Secretary General of OPU African Union, Kayode Orenisi, the Yoruba diaspora socio-cultural organization charged the Federal and the Ondo state government to fish out the killers of over 75 worshippers of the church.
OPU frowned at the killings, saying the blood of those killed in the Sunday massacre is seeking justice, insisting that the death of the innocent worshippers should not be politicised.
“The attack on innocent Christian worshippers in a predominantly Yoruba State and community is not just an isolated attack on some random Christians, but part of a dedicated, specific, well-thought out strategy to provoke the Yoruba nation.
“It is by its very nature a declaration of war that the Oodua Progressive Union in particular and the Yoruba nation at large cannot take lying down.
“The blood of those killed in the attack is seeking justice, therefore,
we, members of the OPU African Union, urge the Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, (SAN) to leave no stone unturned in flushing out these perpetrators and their entire chain of command and foot- soldiers from Ondo state and its environs.
“The capacity of all Yoruba sons and daughters to defend ourselves against killing of this nature cannot be taken for granted. We have the strength and the wherewithal to protect ourselves against external forces.
“We urge that a state of emergency has to be effected immediately until these thorns on the side of the Yoruba people are pulled out. The safety and wellbeing of the people of Ondo has to come first.
“The full might of the law has to be brought down on those responsible not only for the execution but also the planning of this dastardly and cowardly attack.
“A message has to be sent to the Fulani thugs parading as herdsmen that their atrocious spilling of Yoruba blood on Yoruba territory will be met with the same viciousness that it was planned.
“The OPU will stop at nothing to protect the Yoruba people and their property. Force will be met with equal and more force. An injury to one Yoruba person is an injury to all Yoruba worldwide.”
Orenisi,however, condoled with the families of the victims, praying God to heal their wounds.
“We cannot but share in the grieving moment of our brothers and sisters back home in Owo, Ondo state. With a heavy heart, we share in your pain even as we pray God to give the people of Owo the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”
