Dozens of people are feared to have died after gunmen attacked a church in Nigeria, a U.S. official briefed on the massacre told ABC News.
An explosion and attackers armed with guns killed dozens of people and injured many more at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Nigeria’s Ondo State on Sunday, government officials reported.
The explosion occurred outside the church during Mass, followed by gunmen storming the church and shooting sporadically, officials said. The assailants also killed passersby who were hit by stray bullets.
Nigerian authorities vowed to “hunt” the gunmen down and “make them pay,” Governor of Nigeria’s Ondo State Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said in a statement.
Akeredolu is “shocked” and “deeply saddened by the unprovoked attack and killing of innocent people,” according to the statement.
“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,” he said. “It is a black Sunday in Owo. Our hearts are heavy. Our peace and tranquility have been attacked by the enemies of the people. This is a personal loss, an attack on our dear state.”
Akeredolu will travel to Ondo State in the coming days, he said, urging the community to remain “calm and vigilant.”
“We shall never bow to the machinations of heartless elements in our resolves to rid our state of criminals,” he said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
