Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, has faulted some political leaders in Nigeria for feasting over political matters hours after the killing of defenceless citizens in Ondo State.
Itodo, who described the condemnation statements of political leaders as appalling, called on Nigerians to elect better leaders in 2023 that care.
Development Diaries understands that scores of worshippers, mostly children and women, were killed in the attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owo, on 05 June, 2022.
Gunmen were said to have thrown an improvised explosive device before they started shooting sporadically. A video posted online showed some of the victims in a pool of blood. However, at the time of this report, no official casualty figure had been announced.
In his immediate reaction, President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the killing of the worshippers at the Catholic church.
According to a statement issued by his Special Advisor on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said, ‘No matter what, this country shall never give in to evil and wicked people, and darkness will never overcome light. Nigeria will eventually win’.
For his part, the governor of the state, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, vowed to hunt down assailants behind the killing of innocent people of Owo, his hometown.
‘This is an unexpected development. I am shocked to say the least. Nevertheless, We shall commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay’, the governor, who cut short his political party’s national assignment in Abuja to visit Owo, said in a statement.
‘We shall never bow to the machinations of heartless elements in our resolves to rid our state of criminals’.
Several presidential candidates and aspirants, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Yahaya Bello, also condemned the attack.
However, in the evening of the same day, President Buhari hosted stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to a dinner in the nation’s capital, Abuja, where he said that the party was set for its third victory since 2015.
Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, and other prominent members of the ruling party attended the dinner.
‘This crass insensitivity of our political leaders to the pain and vulnerability of the masses is abhorrent. Defenseless citizens were brutally killed and all we got is an appalling statement of condemnation and feasting over political matters. We must elect better leaders that care’, Itodo tweeted.
The Yiaga boss also expressed sadness that condemnation has evolved as the standard framework for responding to crisis in Africa’s most populous nation.
Photo sources: Femi Adesina Rotimi Akeredolu Aketi
