Nigerian forces hunt gunmen who killed 50 at church

A police officer stands guard inside St Francis Catholic Church (Sunday Alamba/AP)

The gunmen who killed 50 people at a Catholic church in southwestern Nigeria opened fire on worshippers both inside and outside the building, in a co-ordinated attack before escaping the scene, authorities and witnesses said on Monday.

Although Nigerian security forces have not yet identified who carried out Sunday’s attack on St Francis Church in the town of Owo in relatively peaceful Ondo state, analysts suggested they came from elsewhere in the country, which is plagued by violence from various armed groups, kidnappers and extremists.