….Says Owo massacre cruel example of inhumanity

By Dayo Johnson

Bishop of Owo Anglican Diocese, in Ondo State, Revd. Stephen Fagbemi, said, yesterday, that Nigeria has found itself in an unfortunate state, as a result of the unending security situation.

Fagbemi said: “Some are beginning to suggest that it’s becoming a failed state.”

The cleric said this while reading the bishop’s charge at the first session of the 14th Synod of Diocese of Owo Anglican Communion, with the theme: ‘Chosen to Proclaim’.

Lamenting the June 5 massacre of worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, in Owo, and the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, he described both attacks as “the cruellest example of inhumanity against the innocent citizens.“

His words: “The attack on innocent worshipers at St Francis Catholic church, Olaoluwa, Owo, is the worst that we have seen and is strange to the system in South West of Nigeria which has left 40 people dead, including men, women and children.

“If the feelers from terrorists’ activities are true, then Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder.

“Kidnappers have turned to the South West for their lucrative business, sparing nobody, making human beings subject of monetary negotiations as if dealing with foodstuffs.

“What we heard from those who have been released from kidnappers’ den is that a particular ethnic group of this country is responsible and they have a plan to take over every part of the country.

“We have heard this line of claim several times. A responsible government ought to have investigated this by now and come up with a clear strategy for dealing with this trend.

“If urgent action is not taken by the Federal Government, the country will explode.”

In his message, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Union Matters and Special Duties, Dare Aragbaiye, urged the church to continue proclaiming Christ irrespective of the challenges associated with it.