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Gunmen
attacked a Catholic church in the Ondo region of southwestern Nigeria on Sunday,
killing scores of worshipers
, according to the government and police.
The attack took place during morning mass at the San Francisco Catholic Church in the town of Owo, located in the southwest of the country, a region where
jihadist and criminal gang attacks
are rare .
"It is still early to say how many people died. But many worshipers lost their lives and others were injured," said
Ibukun Odunlami
, a police spokesman in the Ondo region.
President
Muhammadu Buhari
has condemned the attack, calling it "appalling".
Local media have claimed that women and children were among the dead.
Funmilayo Ibukun Odunlami
, a spokesman for the Ondo State
Police
, said only that there had been an incident at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo and that the police would issue a further statement shortly.
Africa's most populous country has seen attacks and kidnappings for ransom by armed gangs, particularly in its northwest.
These attacks are rare in southwestern Nigeria.
Ondo State
Governor Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu
has cut short a trip to the capital Abuja and returned to Ondo after the attack.
"We will commit all available resources to
hunt down these assailants
and make them pay," he said.
In a statement, the
Diocese of Ondo
has stated that security agents have moved to keep the situation calm.
The diocese has denied that some priests were kidnapped and has reported that all members of the clergy are safe.
The bishop has appealed to remain calm, respect the law and pray in peace, so that normality can return to the community, the state and the country.
The attack occurred on Pentecost Sunday, a date marked for Catholics.
At the moment, those responsible for the attack and their motivations are unknown.
For 12 years, Nigeria has been rocked by a
jihadist insurgency
in the northeast of the country, while criminal groups carry out
mass kidnappings
in the northwest and separatist groups operate in the southeast.
The Vatican has said that Pope Francis is aware of the incident and is praying for the victims of the deadly attack.
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