Over 40 persons were killed and many injured during the attack at the church.

The traditional ruler of Owo Kingdom, Ondo State, the Olowo of Owo Kingdom, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, has described the court verdict sentencing four out of the five suspects arraigned for involvement in the June 5, 2022 massacre of worshippers at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, to death as a welcome development.

This reaction is contained in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Sam Adewale, and made available to journalists in Akure on Wednesday.

According to Adewale, His Majesty expressed satisfaction that justice has finally been served in respect of the incident, noting that the judgment offered some measure of closure to the harrowing attack on the kingdom.

He pointed out that the judgment would afford the families of the victims and the Owo community in general a feeling of relief, while allowing the souls of those who lost their lives in the tragic attack to rest in peace.

The monarch commended the judiciary for seeing through this particular case, as well as the security agencies, particularly the DSS, for the proper investigation of the case, the arrest of the perpetrators, and ensuring the successful prosecution of the convicts.

Oba Ajibade advised that the judgment should be carried out without delay, stressing that the painful incident remained a reminder of the urgent need for stronger security measures across the country. (Channels TV)