Ondo governor Rotimi Akeredolu has revealed that five of the bandits who attacked St. Francis catholic church at Owa-luwa in Owo on June 5 were apprehended in Kogi State and the  Federal Capital Territory, Abuja 

He also said the landlord of the house where the criminals lodged before launching the attack has also been nabbed.

“Now that the military has announced it, I can tell you that five of them (terrorists) have been arrested. Some of them were said to be the real ones that came,” Mr  Akeredolu said on Tuesday. 

The governor’s latest revelation came a few hours after the Nigeria military confirmed the arrest of the suspects behind the massacre of the worshippers in the church. 

Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff, announced on Tuesday afternoon, in Abuja, that the arrest of the suspects was made possible by the joint operations of all security agencies in the country. 

Mr Irabor also revealed that the suspects are members of the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP), an offshoot of Boko Haram. 

“We have arrested those behind the dastardly act in Owo,” the military top brass told reporters and editors. 

He explained that the suspects would be paraded to the world in “due course” stressing that those arrested are behind other daring attacks in the country. 

But speaking while playing host to the executive members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Akure, Mr Akeredolu, said those apprehended “were those behind” the massacre of worshippers at the church while buttressing the military’s position on the latest arrest. 

He said the government in conjunction with the security agencies did not spare a moment in trailing the suspected terrorists, who were nabbed in Kogi and Abuja after the attack occurred. 

He hinted that the landlord of the house where the suspected attackers lodged before launching the terror attack on the church, had also been arrested and currently in the custody of the security agencies.

“They (security agencies) are still on the trail of the rest. The home where they lodged in Owo and the person that accommodated them before the attack (on the worshippers) has also been arrested. 

“We did not spare a moment. I am happy that the Chief of Defence Staff has announced it. We have known for a while but we needed not come out with it because more works are still ongoing,” the governor added. 

Mr Akeredolu, however, assured that his government would continue to prioritize the security of the lives and properties of people in the state. 

On June 5, the terrorists stormed the St. Francis catholic church at Owa-luwa in Owo and killed over 40 worshippers during a Sunday service. 

Dozens of the worshippers who survived the violent attack are still receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre in Owo and some other private hospitals. 

The terror attack drew wide condemnation both from local and international organisations with donors and philanthropists contributing funds and relief materials to the surviving victims. 

In July, the Amotekun Corps in Ondo announced the arrest of some suspects in connection to the deadly attack. 

Commander of the Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, said who disclosed the arrest to reporters in Akure, said some items including the vehicle used by the terrorists for the attack were recovered.