Linking Owo church attack to ISWAP speculative — Fayemi

Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, has said the claims linking the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) to the church attack in Owo is a mere speculation.

He said no evidence had confirmed that the group was responsible for the attack that claimed many lives and left several others injured.

“I am not going to go into any speculation,” the governor said on Monday in response to a question regarding the position of the Federal Government during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

“As far as I’m concerned, the statement that ISWAP or Boko Haram or whatever other institutions are responsible for this (attack) is purely speculative at this stage. I haven’t seen any evidence that concretely puts this in the corner of any of these rogue elements that we have.

“And really it doesn’t at this stage matter. They have committed this crime; they have demonstrated the capacity to cause maximum damage to our people.”

At least 40 people were killed and many injured when gunmen opened fire on worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, the headquarters of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The incident sparked widespread condemnation with various individuals and groups calling on the government to ensure the assailants were arrested and brought to justice.

Amid controversy over who was responsible for the incident, the Federal Government linked the killings to the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Fayemi, who is also chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), said the position of the Federal Government remained a speculation.