Owo Church Massacre: Psychotherapist Gives 5 Tips To Protect Yourself From The Effects Of Constant Sad News
It’s been one sad news after the other in Nigeria in the last few days and these can have adverse effects on our mental health if we continue to listen, watch or read them online.
Yesterday afternoon, bombs exploded and bullets rained at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, by gunmen and at the end, over 21 worshippers laid dead, signaling the arrival of massacre of the innocent in the South.
In light of all these, a psychotherapist Dedoyin Ajayi in a Twitter thread, shared some tips to keep you grounded during these times.
She wrote:
“Refrain From Unnecessary Arguments About the Country:
A lot of people are going through the worst level of frustration and anger beyond their wildest imaginations and they’re looking for someone to make their scapegoat. Don’t be that scapegoat.
If You’re Not Mentally Up to it, Don’t Encourage Conversations About the State of insecurity:
Aimlessly talking about it would only heighten your anxiety and trigger feelings of hopelessness and you already have enough things to worry about. Preserve your energy.
For This Week At Least, Mute Words Like “Gunmen”, “Bandits”, “Fulani Herdsmen”, “Bloody” etc.
It’s also okay to mute accounts that are constantly talking about the heightened distress in the country as well as those who post gory videos. Save yourself from vicarious trauma.
Check On Your Loved Ones:
Don’t get so immersed with the current political clime that you lose touch with reality. Stay in touch with those close to your heart. It’s a tragic thing to say; but nothing is assured anymore. So please reach out to them.
Now More Than Ever, Reduce Your Screen Time:
Fight the compulsion to stay online 24/7, scrolling through one bad news after another.
Take lots of walks, drink lots of water, make silent plans, and don’t stop hoping. May you live long enough to tell a different story.”
SEE ALSO: ‘None Of My Children Will Go To School Again’ – Parents Of Slain Deborah Samuel Break Silence
See the thread below:
How we were attacked — Priest
An eyewitness said the gunmen, who disguised as worshippers, detonated explosives suspected to be dynamite and later opened fire on members of the church.
One of the priests at the church, Rev. Father Andrew Abayomi, who narrated how the church was attacked, said the gunmen also bombed the church.
Abayomi said:
“We were about to round off service. I had even asked people to start leaving when we started hearing gunshots from different angles.
“We hid inside the church but some people had left when the attack happened. We locked ourselves in the church for 20 minutes. When we heard that they had left, we opened the church and rushed victims to the hospital.”
Vanguard however, gathered that the killers, four in number, arrived the church a few minutes before 11am in Volkswagen Golf vehicle which was parked at the entrance of the church.
The corpses were deposited at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, the Catholic Hospital and private hospitals in the town.
‘Attackers were kidnappers’
Also narrating how the attack was carried out, a church member, Kehinde Ogunkorode, told Vanguard that about five gunmen stormed the church during service and shot members.
Ogunkorode said:
“It was like a movie; they invaded the church and shot indiscriminately. Several people were killed, including children and women. It was when they wanted to abduct the priest that they threw dynamite into the church.”
Another source confirmed that no fewer than 25 corpses were moved out of the church, with many casualties lying at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, for medical attention. The source said:
“Some gunmen invaded the church during service, opened fire and killed no fewer than 25 members of the church. The congregants were caught unawares by the killers. They also used explosives but many were shot.”
Herdsmen behind the killings — Ondo lawmaker
Meanwhile, the lawmaker representing Owo, Constituency II in the House of Assembly, Olayemi Adeyemi, alleged yesterday that those who attacked St Francis Catholic Church were armed herdsmen of Fulani extraction.
Adeyemi, who spoke to newsmen in Owo, said:
“The gunmen invaded the religious premises with explosives which they detonated before opening live rounds on members while church service was ongoing.
“The attack was a reprisal aimed at sending a message to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu who chased away violent Fulani pastoralists from the area.
“Locals around the church premises saw the attackers who were on the run after unleashing the horrific act on the church. They were armed herdsmen of Fulani extraction, a tribe accused of spear-heading insecurity across the country.”
NMA calls for blood donations
Reacting to the attack yesterday, the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, urged Nigerians in the affected area of Ondo State to go to hospitals where the injured were being treated to donate blood to save lives.
In a statement by its President, Dr Uche Ojinmah, the NMA said:
“We received with sadness the news of the wanton killing of innocent Nigerians and abduction of some citizens at Owo in Ondo State by yet-to-be identified gunmen.
“The recurrent shedding of innocent blood in our dear country has been going on for far too long and it is the position of the Nigerian Medical Association that explanations, condemnations and reassurances are no longer comforting.
“The NMA, hereby, calls for quick intervention by our governments and security agencies to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians in every part of this nation.
“The Nigerian Medical Association commiserates with the government and good people of Ondo State over the loss of lives and prays for quick recovery of those injured.
“We appeal to Nigerians in the affected area of Ondo State to kindly go to the hospitals where the injured are being treated to donate blood to save lives.
‘’We call on all doctors in Ondo State and the environs to mobilize themselves to participate in the treatment of the injured. NMA also calls for the release in good health of those abducted.”