"We should be looking at a casualty figure of between 70 and 100. I saw more than 20 people dead, especially children."
The majority leader of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi, has said that Sunday’s attack at St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, affected about 100 persons.
Mr Ogunmolasuyi, the lawmaker representing Owo Constituency 1, said he visited the church and hospital to see the victims.
"It's a very sad incident. Of course, it had already happened before I got there. I saw thousands of angry youths. It was barbaric, never experienced in the history of Ondo State," he said.
"We should be looking at a casualty figure of between 70 and 100. I saw more than 20 people dead, especially children.
Scores of worshippers were killed and injured after gunmen attacked the church on Sunday morning.
President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack and added that Nigeria will "never give in to evil and wicked people."
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu described the incident as "vile and satanic."
Mr Ogunmolasuyi said he spoke with the parent of a survivor and was told that the attackers were herdsmen.
"They were shooting and they also used dynamite," he said.
"The governor has really worked on security in the state, which is why we never believed something like this will happen in Ondo."
'23 people killed'
An official at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, told our correspondent that 23 bodies had been admitted to the morgue of the hospital, two of which are children.
The official, who would not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak, said the 28 persons who are survivors, are still receiving medical attention, noting that they sustained very serious injuries.
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"Of the number, 17 are females while 11 are males," the official said.
"They are relatively stable and are being attended to by general and orthopaedic surgeons at the hospital's theatre."
He also said that 13 children were rushed in immediately after the incident, but two arrived at the hospital already dead.
"The other 10 children are receiving treatment and are relatively stable," the source said.
A witness, who identified herself as Toyin, said the terrorists attacked the church while the priest was rounding off proceedings of the service.
"They first started by throwing in explosives into the church hall, which sent the worshipers scampering for safety," she said.
"It was while they were running for safety that the attackers started shooting at them.
"It initially thought that the Reverend Father was kidnapped, but he was not kidnapped, he survived the attack."
