Owo Massacre: UN urges govt to support plan to safeguard religious places
The High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC), Miguel Moratinos, has urged the government to support the implementation of the Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites to keep worshippers safe.
Mr Moratinos appealed in light of the attack on St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, during the Pentecost mass on Sunday.
In a statement on Tuesday, the high representative called for mutual respect of all religions and faiths and for fostering a culture of fraternity and peace.
He recalled that the UN Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites, developed by UNAOC, appealed to all governments and relevant stakeholders to support its implementation.
He also invited the global youth and faith communities to join UNAOC’s global call to action #forSafeWorship to contribute to celebrating the universality of religious sites.
Similarly, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned “in the strongest terms” the brutal massacre, which left at least 50 people dead and wounded dozens more.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr Guterres described the massacre by alleged Fulani militias as “heinous”, as worshippers gathered on Sunday to celebrate Pentecost – an essential date in the Christian calendar.
Attackers infiltrated the congregation before shooting at people who had gathered for mass inside the church.
He said that attacks on places of worship are “abhorrent”, urging the Nigerian authorities to spare no effort in bringing those responsible to justice.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which is considered unusual for Southwest Nigeria. However, witnesses said they were of Fulani origin.
(NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
World
WHO donates drugs, consumables to victims of Owo Church attack
WHO said the donation was their way of assisting the Ondo state government during its period of grief.
States
Yusuf Ibrahim emerges NNPP guber candidate in Bauchi
Mr Ibrahim defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to pick up the gubernatorial ticket of the NNPP.
Politics
APC Presidential Primary: Ex-Zamfara governor Yarima promises to accept result
“By the grace of God, a good candidate will emerge for APC, even if it is not me,” the former governor said.
Economy
Stock market remains bullish as capitalisation gains N1 billion
“The stock market closed positively, as bargain hunting was seen in all the major sectors,” according to analysts at GTI Research.
Lagos
Police impound 130 bikes, arrest five persons in Lagos
The Lagos government on June 1, began the enforcement of Okada ban across Apapa, Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Lagos Island, Surulere and Lagos Mainland.
Health
NAFDAC warns consumers not to buy unregistered packaged foods
The agency wants consumers to always check labelling information, NAFDAC registration and as well the batch coding to ensure products are not expired.
