‘Masked gunman shot our choirmaster in the chest’, Owo terror attack survivor, Stephanie, recounts ordeal

One of the survivors of the Sunday massacre at the St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, Stephanie Ajibo Olitex, has offered graphic details of the shooting that took place inside the church on the fateful day.

Stephanie who took to Facebook to celebrate her birthday, recalled that she came within inches of being shot dead where she hid behind a cupboard with her baby in her arms.

From her account, the terrorists started shooting from outside the church and many of the worshippers escaped from the church. She recalled that the gunmen entered the church to shoot those who were unable to escape.

She estimated that some 100 people were killed that day.

Stephanie, who hails from Nsukka in Enugu State, wrote:

“We were inside the church when they started shooting from the outside. People at the back started running towards the altar. Some jumped fence, our priest escaped through the sacristy with the help of our catechist. By the time I ran towards the Sacristy door, it was already locked by members who were able to reach there before me. I had to hide myself under the cupboard inside the choir room with the baby in my hand. He shot somebody right in front of me near the Sacristy door. He looked around, when he didn’t see anybody or sound, he went away. He was masked, loaded with Ak 47.

“Note that the distance between the heavily loaded gunman and me was like kitchen to dining. Our choirmaster who was hiding with us was shot on his chest before he ran into the room with us.

“I pray he survives the bullet.

“They killed children, youths and elderly. We’ve recorded almost 100 death and still counting… I came out alive and escaped through the fence that demarcated our church from the Palace of Olowo of Owo Kingdom and ran to the palace for the fear of the unknown.

“The baby with me is safe, I’m also safe.

“Happy birthday to me”