Residents on Wednesday night were gripped by fears after heavy gunshots and explosions were heard in Owo, the Ondo community that recorded a massacre of Catholic worshippers on June 5. 

Details of tonight’s incident remained sketchy as of press time, but the police swiftly allayed residents’ fears in a short bulletin to the public, saying a few people who sustained gunshot wounds were stable at treatment facilities.

“Tonight, there was a shooting incident at Craneburg Construction Company, Owo,” Ondo police spokeswoman Olufunmilayo Odunlami said in a message to Peoples Gazette. “Policemen are currently at the scene, victims have been taken to hospital and they are in stable condition.” A similar message was posted on Ondo police’s Twitter handle late Wednesday.

The police did not disclose the number of victims or the nature of the shooting.

A witness told The Gazette by telephone that the shooting was heard around Folahanmi Junction, close to the construction firm.

“The scene is close to a popular construction company and the shooting is creating panic already. We can’t even sleep,” the witness said.

Social media accounts said shootings were heard for over two hours starting 8:00 p.m. local time, although The Gazette could not immediately confirm the timeline of the incident.

The first-rate Yoruba community has been under public interest since armed attackers stormed a Catholic Church parish in the town on June 5, killing over 50 worshippers during a Sunday mass. Those behind the attack, which drew worldwide outrage, including from the Vatican, remained at large.