The Ondo State Police command has denied knowledge of the arrest of the suspected perpetrators of the last Sunday attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo.

DIPLOMATIC DIARY reports that gunmen had on Sunday attacked the church, leaving at least 40 worshippers dead and several others with various degree of gunshot injuries.

A viral video on social media on Thursday, had alleged that some of the suspected perpetrators of the attack were arrested by local vigilantes in Owo.

DIPLOMATIC DIARY gathered that residents of Owo had besieged the palace of the Olowo of Owo to demand for justice over the killing of their people.

The Olowo of  Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye was seen addressing his subjects and assured that the perpetrators would be brought to book.

However, background noise in the video  suggested that the perpetrators of the Sunday church attack have been arrested.

The news of the rumoured arrest filtered in and residents who have been mourning the death of their loved ones to the heinous crime besieged the palace to catch a glimpse of suspects at the palace.

Addressing the crowd in owo dialect, oba ogunoye asked them to remain calm, saying he heard the same unconfirmed news just like the residents heard that the assailants had been arrested.

However, reacting to the rumour, Spokesperson of the State Police Command, Funmilayo Odunlami, denied any knowledge of arrest of the suspected perpetrators.

 “I’m not aware”, she said.

Also, a source within the palace of Olowo, said the information was only a rumour as there was nothing of such.

The source who didn’t want his name mentioned said: “it was only a rumour. The youths besieged the palace in their thousands when the rumour broke out, but it was discovered to be false alarm.

“Kabiyesi was only trying to hail their doggedness as he told them that ‘I heard the rumour as well’ and enjoined them to be calm.”