Akeredolu Confirms Army’s Mix Up Over Owo Church Attackers

The Governor of Ondo Sate, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, has confirmed that there was a mix up in the list of suspects arrested over the attack on church worshipper in Owo, Ondo State on Sunday June 5, 2022.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Leo Irabor, while announcing that brains behind the church shootings which claimed more than 40 lives had been arrested, had listed one Idris Ojo, who was claimed to be an escapee from the attack on Kuje Medium Correctional Centre in Abuja.
Irabor’s claim had sent many Nigerians confused and raising questions how a man who was in jail till July 5 when the jail break happened could have been among those who carried out the attacks on worshippers in Owo, on July 5, a clearly an interval of one month.
Irabor had said, “On August 4, the military, in a combined operation with the Department of State Service, arrested four terrorists at Eika in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
“On August 7, one Idris Ojo (37) was apprehended at Aiyetoro in Ondo State. He was one of the high-profile Islamic State of West Africa Province members that escaped from Kuje Prison.
In a statement on Wednesday, titled, “Akeredolu Clears Air On Arrest Of Kuje Prison Escapee, Idris Ojo,” signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, Akeredolu noted that there was a mix-up by Irabor.
The statement from the Ondo State Government read, “The attention of the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has been drawn to the announcement of Idris Ojo as one of the attackers of St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, arrested by the security agencies.
“Governor Akeredolu acknowledged the confusion which the statement had created in the public space, considering that the ugly event of the June 5 attack in Owo preceded the unfortunate incident at Kuje prison.
“The Governor said there was a mix-up in the announcement by Irabor.
“Akeredolu explained that Idris Ojo, who is number 14 on the wanted list of the Kuje Prison escapees, was arrested in his brother’s house in Akure.
“The announcement of the arrest of Ojo as one of the perpetrators of the June 5 attack in Owo was a mix-up from Irabor.
“Ojo was arrested in his brother’s house in Akure. His brother, Jimoh Ibrahim, received and accommodated him after his escape from Kuje prison.”
“He was thereafter moved and kept in the custody of the security officials at the same time the attackers of Owo Catholic Church were arrested and brought into custody. Hence, the mix-up,” the governor was quoted to have said.