Owo Church Massacre: Fulani Group Demands Compensation For Members Killed In Alleged Reprisal

The Ondo State Government has been ordered by a Fulani group known as Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) to pay compensation to Fulani families whose relatives were allegedly slaughtered in retaliation for the terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo.

On Sunday, June 5, 2022, terrorists who are thought to be Fulani herders assaulted St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo town, killing no less than 40 worshippers and injured a great number of others. Some Fulani families allegedly suffered from retaliation.

In a statement released on Sunday by its president, Khalil Muhammad Bello, KACRAN urged the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, to provide restitution to the families of those slain in the alleged retaliation.

According to the statement quoted by Daily Trust, Bello said the reprisal could be associated with an allegation by Governor Akeredolu that the attack was carried out by Fulani herdsmen.

Bello, who however commended security agencies for the arrest of some suspected Owo Church attackers, pointed out that none of the arrested suspects was a Fulani man.

“Truly, the Nigerian security agencies did a wonderful job that deserves commendation not only by Nigerians but by the entire civilised world.

“Arresting these criminals has exculpated our law-abiding herders who are residing in Ondo State but pointed with fingers that they were among the suspected masterminds of the barbaric act as wrongly painted by the Ondo State Governor, His Excellency, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu.

“This wrong accusation made many herders to be victims of reprisal attacks by touts. In view of this negative development, we want to make it abundantly clear to all that we are not denying the fact that there may be bad eggs, being human beings, but that doesn’t warrant labelling all as criminals.

“We also appeal to Mr Rotimi Akeredolu to kindly pay compensation to the victims of the Owo church reprisals whose relatives were innocently killed or lost their property that are the sources of their livelihoods,” Bello said.