A few weeks ago, some persons, believed to be terrorists, stormed Saint Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State to despatch 44 worshippers to their early graves while injuring many others. The entire Ondo State has since been thrown into mourning and bereavement.

Some persons in and out of government have spoken condemning the incident in rather unrestrained manner, while others have paid sympathy visits to the bereaved families, the survivors in their homes and the health facilities where they are receiving treatment.

New Telegraph joins Nigerians of the different socio-economic status across the nation to not only unreservedly condemn the terrorist attack but to also pray that such should not be unleashed on the people of Owo in Ondo State or any other part of the country again.

The terrorist attack on the Owo Catholic Church, like other terrorist acts on defenceless citizens in the different parts of the country, has dealt a severe blow to the remnants of the goodwill of the security agencies to the extent that some members of the public seem reluctant to exchange information with the officers and men in uniform with a view to helping them to discharge their statutory responsibilities more effectively and efficiently.

We are taken aback that the security agencies, despite having the benefit of intelligence arms, could not track the deployment of the human, material and financial resources into the planning and execution of the terrorist attack. Also why is it that the nation’s outfits failed to swing into action to make arrests of those linked to the planning and execution of the terrorist act before the incident occurred?

Could it be said that Ondo State does not have the presence of security formations? Since the answer appears to be in the negative, why should the relevant security agencies decide to be on Sabbatical at a time when they ought to be up and running with the discharge of their statutory responsibilities? Why did the security operatives fail to engage the terrorists before, during and after the attack?

From multiple reports the operation lasted quite a while. We insist that the country most get to the root of the terrorist attack at Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Parish, Owo. Whatever investigation that may have been done by the security agencies should be disregarded. Instead professional bodies, trade unions and non-governmental organisations should be interested in carrying out an independent and credible investigation into the massacre.

The argument that the security agencies have the statutory mandate to tackle all forms of criminality through lawful means including investigation does not hold water. The security agencies appear not to have been reasonably effective and efficient in the discharge of their constitutional functions.

This referred lapse has helped give the terrorists and other criminallyminded elements the room to unleash socio-economic dislocations of bewildering proportions on the populace, including the people of Owo.

Such low performance by security organisations calls for independent investigations by professional and nongovernmental bodies, as well as trade unions.

Such organisations should include: the Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), National Anthropological and Sociological Association (NASA) and the Nigeria Economic Society (NES). On no account, should the outcome of the investigation be swept under the carpet.

Security operatives found to have aided and abetted the terrorist attack on the worshippers of Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo should be made to face justice, after being removed from official security work.

The massacre at the Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Parish, Owo, Ondo State epitomised the failure of government to live up to its core responsibility of ensuring the welfare and security of the people, as aptly captured by the Chapter Two of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This is an indefensible shame. And, it will remain so, for as long as the blood and souls of the dead 44 worshippers of Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, continue to cry for justice in their graves.

Without probably giving it a second thought, a number of Nigerians are gradually getting used to tragic events and tragic lifestyles. This can be deduced from the way people move on after very deadly occurrences. In June, a gas-laden tanker caused a major fire in Lagos that killed at least three people, burnt 25 vehicles […]

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