Ondo attack survivor marks birthday, recounts experience

A survivor of the Ondo church attack, Stephanie Ajibo Olitex, has marked her birthday and recounted her experience during the attack as well as how she escaped.

In an update on Facebook, Ajibo revealed that she had hid in a cupboard with the baby she was carrying during the attack.

She said, “We were inside the church when they started shooting from the outside. People at the back started running towards the altar. Some jumped the 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 on mask, loaded with AK – 47.”

Explaining the distance between her and the gunman, she said, “Note that the distance between the heavily loaded gunman and me was like kitchen to dining. Our choir master who was hiding with us was shot on his chest before he ran into the room with us. I pray he survived the bullet”.

“They killed children, youths and elderly. 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”.