The bodies of 38 worshippers among those killed last Sunday at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State, are to be buried soon.

Those being prepared for burial are victims whose bodies could not be identified by their relatives.

It was learnt that the Catholic Church had not fixed a date for the burial.

Victims of the attack who were close to the altar where explosives were thrown at the worshippers during the service were mangled beyond recognition.

Their bodies would be released to families that want to give private burial after proper verification.

A cleric in the church, who spoke in confidence, said: “There are plans to give mass burial to those who lost their lives in the Sunday attack. The decision was taken due to the nature of their death. So, we have to bury them instead of them just lying in the morgue.

“Those that will be given mass burial are those whose bodies could not be identified by anyone.

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“Definitely, when necessary arrangements have been concluded, the church will notify the public on when the mass burial will be done.”

Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Most Reverend Jude Arogundade, had announced that 38 persons had been confirmed dead in the attack.

Arogundade said there were other bodies whose relatives took away for burial without taking them to the hospital.

The cleric stressed that efforts were on to trace those taken away by their families.

“People have been asking me about the figure of those who died. The figure that we can account for presently is 38.

“But we know that many people were taken to private hospitals. Even some people came to take the bodies of their loved ones. We are trying to trace those people so that we can have a recount for all.

“But in the Catholic Hospital, which is Saint Louis Hospital in Owo, and the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owo, we have 38 bodies,” he said.