Nigeria: “At last, killers have been held to account,” says bishop, as Pentecost massacre gunmen found guilty
Bishop Jude Arogundade thanked ACN for its campaign on behalf of survivors, who “will always carry the scars of what happened that day.”
The bishop who spearheaded the campaign for justice following one of the worst atrocities against Christians in Nigeria has given a heartfelt response to the news that four gunmen have been found guilty in a court of law.
Armed men carried out a killing spree during Pentecost Sunday Mass at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, southwest Nigeria, on 5 June 2022, leaving more than 40 dead and up to 100 injured.
On Wednesday 3 June this year, Justice Emeka Nwite, during proceedings at the federal court in the capital, Abuja, found four defendants guilty on a nine-count charge including hostage-taking, kidnapping, financing of terrorism and the detonation of explosives causing injury and death. A fifth man was acquitted due to insufficient evidence.
Speaking to Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) on Friday 5 June, on his way to celebrate a Mass marking the fourth anniversary of the atrocity, Bishop Jude Arogundade of Ondo, the diocese which includes Owo, said: “We are pleased that at last the families and victims in general can move towards a kind a closure, although we realise that they will never fully reach closure as they will carry the scars of what happened that day for the rest of their lives.”
“Many are still traumatised and are still going through medical treatment and many are on the edge – they are still suffering and worried because they don’t know what will happen next.”
The four men were sentenced to life in prison for belonging to a terrorist organisation and to 20 years in prison for conspiracy. They were also given death sentences, although according to Nigerian law this requires presidential assent, and the last time a judicial execution took place in the country was in 2016. Presidential assent to executions is practically unheard of in modern Nigeria. According to media reports, the men all pleaded not guilty and their defence lawyer said they would appeal against the sentence.
Bishop Arogundade recalled that “the Church does not accept the death penalty but it is important that those responsible are held accountable.”
The bishop called on the authorities to continue the struggle for justice, noting many others were implicated in the attack in Owo.
Bishop Arogundade went on to thank ACN for mounting a campaign for justice on behalf of the survivors.
“ACN did so much to keep the story of what happened in Owo on the front burner and by doing so they helped make it clear to the government that the whole world was waiting to see justice done for the victims of the attack,” he said.
“As a result, the authorities were bent on getting to the bottom of the attack and were intent on finding the perpetrators.”
Soon after the atrocity Bishop Arogundade appeared before the US Congress and was invited by ACN to speak at the UK Parliament.
ACN’s UK office launched a petition calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice, which was presented at 10 Downing Street by a delegation led by Lord David Alton of Liverpool and Baroness Caroline Cox of Queensbury.
The petition was delivered on 5 June 2023, the first anniversary of the massacre, by the human rights champions, who were accompanied by representatives from the ACN’s UK office.
Four months later, Owo survivor Margaret Attah, who lost both legs and an eye in the attack, came to London and received the first #RedWednesday Courage to be Christian Award which recognises heroism and faith in response to persecution, presented by the UK national office.
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