At least 50 feared dead in Nigeria church attack

At least 50 people died on Sunday after gunmen opened fire on worshipers and detonated explosives at a Catholic church in southwestern Nigeria.

The attackers struck the St. Francis Catholic Church in Ondo state where worshipers had gathered for Pentecost Sunday and opened fire on people both outside and inside the church.

Videos appearing to be from the scene of the attack showed church worshipers lying in pools of blood while people around them wailed.

Confirming the incident, the governor of Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, expressed his deep sadness about the attack.

“The vile and satanic attack is a calculated assault on the peace-loving people of Owo kingdom who have enjoyed relative peace over the years.

The attack was also condemned by Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, whose government continues to face criticism over rising insecurity across the country.

“No matter what, this country shall never give in to evil and wicked people and darkness will never overcome the light,” Buhari said.

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The perpetrators were said to have fled the scene immediately after they carried out the deadly attack and it is not clear who was responsible for the attack. While most of Nigeria has faced security challenges, Ondo is widely regarded as one of the country’s most peaceful states.

Featured image: AP photo.