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. “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.
“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.
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.