The National Security Council has accused the Islamic State, West African Province (ISWAP) as responsible for the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo which led to the death of about 38 persons on June 5.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said this on Thursday while briefing State House Correspondents after the National Security Council meeting in Abuja.

The Security Council meeting which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari had Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (retd) in attendance.

Other attendees included the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao.

Also in attendance were the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman; the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

Aregbesola disclosed that security agencies, particularly the police, have been directed to apprehend the perpetrators. He said the attack has no ethnic-religious connection, affirming that the group’s activity has nothing to do with religion.

The council, according to him, is also concerned about killings in the name of blasphemy and has directed the security agencies to go after perpetrators of the incidents that occurred in Sokoto State and Abuja recently.