Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has said the state has not experienced any terrorist attack since the deadly assault on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in June 2022.
The governor made the statement on Friday during a media chat while responding to questions about the current security situation in the state.
According to him, although the state has recorded some cases of kidnapping for ransom, there has not been any organised terrorist operation similar to the attack on the church in Owo.
“Terrorist operation has not happened after the Owo massacre. We’ve not experienced any terrorist attack,” Aiyedatiwa said in remarks reported by Channels Television.
He explained that security agencies continue to respond to kidnapping incidents in the state, noting that efforts are made to secure the release of victims while tracking those responsible.
Aiyedatiwa also dismissed reports of recent killings in communities such as Agamo as isolated criminal acts rather than organised bandit attacks.
“Those cases you mentioned are isolated incidents. They are not bandit attacks,” the governor said.
He contrasted the incidents with the June 2022 attack on the church in Owo, where gunmen reportedly stormed the building during service and opened fire on worshippers.
According to him, the attackers in that case did not attempt robbery or demand ransom but carried out the assault before leaving the scene.
The attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church left dozens of worshippers dead and more than 100 others injured, sparking national and international condemnation.
Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services, later announced the arrest of five suspects who are currently facing trial over their alleged involvement in the attack.
Meanwhile, residents in parts of the state have recently protested over insecurity. Earlier this week, community members blocked the busy Akure–Owo expressway in protest against repeated attacks, kidnappings and killings reportedly carried out by suspected armed herdsmen in the Ayede Ogbese area.
Eyewitnesses said the protest began early in the morning, with youths, women and elderly residents barricading the highway with logs, leaving motorists stranded for several hours.
Protesters demanded urgent intervention from the government and security agencies, claiming that attackers had repeatedly targeted farmers and residents in their communities.
During the media chat, Aiyedatiwa also commended the state’s local security outfit, the Ondo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun, for supporting conventional security agencies in tackling crime.
He described the outfit as a form of state policing that has helped strengthen local security efforts across Ondo.
Earlier this year, an Amotekun officer testified before the Federal High Court in Abuja about a gun battle with one of the suspects linked to the Owo attack.
The witness, an assistant commander identified in court as SSG, told the court that his team engaged one of the fleeing attackers after receiving intelligence from eyewitnesses shortly after the massacre.
He said that upon arriving at the church premises, they discovered spent AK-47 shells scattered around the area and several victims inside the building.
According to him, the injured worshippers were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre Owo for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were taken to St. Louis Hospital Owo.