Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said the death toll in the Sunday attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, in Owo town of the state is now 40 after harmonisation of records.
The governor had earlier on Tuesday put the death toll at 22 in a state broadcast.
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He said the state government would provide land in a good environment for the mass burial of the deceased.
He gave the assurance while playing host to a team of Catholic bishops from the South-West led by Most Reverend Leke Abegunrin.
The team was on a condolence visit to the governor at his Ijebu-Owo residence in Owo.
Akeredolu said, “The figure I have now shows that 127 persons were involved and that the number of death now is 40. “On admission receiving treatment, we have 61. Twenty-six have been discharged.
“Those are the figures we have now from the commissioner for health. So, the government is not hiding anything.”
The governor explained that the state government had set up an account for donations following a series of calls by well-meaning individuals who were desirous of helping the families of the victims and the survivors.
Earlier, Bishop Abegunrin expressed sadness over the attack, describing it as an attack on God.
Also, the Catholic Bishop of Ondo, Most Reverend Jude Arogundade, said the visit was to comfort one another and also inform the governor about the plan to organise a befitting burial for the dead.
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