A funeral service for 22 of the 40 people killed in an attack at a Catholic church took place on Friday in Owo, Nigeria.  

Grieving relatives attended the mass, where Ondo state governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu told them: “I am here before you to accept a failure of security. We have failed to defend these people, not because we have not tried, but the forces on the other side are evil.”

A group of assailants attacked the St. Francis Catholic Church congregation with explosives and AK-47s in the town of Owo on June 5.Friday was the first and only large service commemorating the victims. Many of those killed have already been buried by their loved ones, and the bodies of others are being taken back to their hometowns.

No group has claimed responsibility or has been held accountable for the attack.

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