Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State and the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, have welcomed the conviction and death sentence handed to four persons involved in the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, Governor Aiyedatiwa described the judgment as a victory for justice, the rule of law and the victims of the attack, which claimed several lives and left many others injured.
According to the governor, the ruling reflects the commitment of investigators, prosecutors and the judiciary to ensuring accountability for violent crimes.
He said the verdict sends a strong message that perpetrators of terrorism and other violent acts will face the full weight of the law, regardless of how long prosecution takes.
Aiyedatiwa also commended the resilience of the Owo community and members of the Catholic Church, noting that they had remained peaceful despite the trauma caused by the attack.
The governor pledged continued collaboration with security agencies to strengthen intelligence gathering and improve the protection of public spaces across the state.
While acknowledging that the judgment cannot restore the lives lost, he said it provides some measure of justice and closure for victims and their families.
Also reacting, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye, described the conviction as "justice served" and praised the Federal Government, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the judiciary for securing the convictions.
The monarch, however, urged authorities to continue investigations to identify and prosecute any other individuals linked to the attack.
He said it was unlikely that the convicted persons acted alone and stressed the need to uncover and bring all accomplices to justice.
Oba Ogunoye further called on governors to sign death warrants where required by law, arguing that failure to do so weakens the justice system and reduces the deterrent effect of capital punishment.
According to him, fully enforcing court judgments would help strengthen justice delivery and contribute to efforts to curb violent crime in the country.
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