SW News: The mourning community of faithful belonging to Ondo Diocese in Nigeria paid their last respects to the worshippers killed in the church terror attack during the funeral mass on Friday, June 17.

Thirteen days after unidentified gunmen rained bullets on St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, the deceased victims have finally been buried. No fewer than 40 persons were brutally murdered and many others were injured in the grisly attack by terrorists during the Pentecost service on Sunday, June 5. Four among those who died were children. To date, no perpetrators have been arrested in connection with the terror attack.

As the church is still not operational, the funeral Mass was held at the nearby Mydas Resort. It began at 10:00 AM after all the caskets were brought in. Ondo’s Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and several members of the cabinet were present at the venue which was brimming with people.

The families, parishioners and the faithful laid the deceased to rest after the service at the church’s new cemetery located along Emure-Ile road.

According to "Punch", Fr Augustine Ikwu, the Director of Social Communication of the Diocese of Ondo, had announced the date of the burial on Monday. He had also urged all the faithful in the state to participate in the solemn ceremony. Fr Ikwu appealed to all Nigerians, especially Christians, to pray for the repose of the souls of the victims and for the quick recovery of the other Catholic faithful who were gravely injured.