The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has condemned the massacre of worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa, Owo, Ondo on Sunday, warning that Yoruba people have the capacity to defend themselves even though they are peace-loving.

This is contained in a statement by his spokesman Moses Olafare on Monday.

Mr Ogunwusi, who warned against plans by a group to destabilise the South-West, pointed out that the massacre was “targeted at turning Yorubaland into a war zone.”

“Yoruba people have the capacity to defend themselves even though they are peace-loving. We should all be reminded that the sixth of June made it exactly one year when an invading gang of killer herdsmen killed at least over 20 people in Igangan, Ibarapa North local government of Oyo State, on Saturday night,” explained the Yoruba monarch.

He added, “They left several houses, the palace of the Asigangan and a popular petroleum station burnt in the attack when people were asleep. This happened exactly a year ago.”

Mr Ogunwusi, who is the co-chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), disclosed that there were reports that some criminals planned to invade and wreak havoc in Yorubaland “like the one that just happened in Owo.”

“When calamities like this befall us without a single trace, the interpretation is that the intelligence unit of our country’s security architecture is probably faulty or completely missing,” the monarch reasoned. “However, we, the descendants of Oduduwa, cannot be overrun in our own home as we are prepared and ready to defend ourselves against external invaders.”

He called on the six governors across the South-West and “their brothers” nationwide and President Muhammadu Buhari to live up to their oaths of securing Nigerians and ensuring safety.

(NAN)