More details are emerging from the barbaric Sunday attack by gunmen on St. Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu, in the Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, in which at least eleven worshippers, who had gone to church to seek solace like every Sunday, were killed. Eighteen others were reportedly wounded and are now said to be receiving treatment at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital Nnewi, while corpses were taken to a local mortuary.
Contrary to rumours making rounds in social media, a police source has told CHECKPOINTCHARLEY that the senseless killing was part of a drug war that has claimed the lives of over 30 Ozubulu indigenes based in South Africa. The war was reportedly triggered by a feud between one Bishop and his fellow Ozubulu indigene. It is understood that the feud concerned a failed business deal.
The source also said that hired assassins had been after Bishop and his gang in South Africa and “seven of Bishop’s men have been killed.”
The Gunmen, in search of Bishop, had invaded St. Philip Catholic Church at about 6am on Sunday morning, the source said.
“They arrived at the church during the first mass and one of them went inside and started shooting indiscriminately in anger after they found out that their target was not in the church despite their seeing a car parked in front of the church premises which made them believe he was inside the church.
“The man killed the father of Bishop since his son was not found and he continued his shooting spree that left another 10 persons dead and injured many.”
A worshipper, who escaped unhurt, said that the gunmen left at about 9am after unleashing the mayhem unchallenged.
At first, rumours swirled that it was a terror attack carried out by either Boko Haram or Fulani herdsmen. However, the state commissioner of police, Garba Umar has also ruled out the possibility of a terror attack.
Mr. Umar said, “The intelligence report and preliminary investigation showed that the incident was as a result of a feud between two individuals from the same community living outside Nigeria.
“One of the individuals built the church where the shooting occurred; it is not a terrorist attack.”
Meanwhile, Nigerians have expressed anger and outrage over the depraved killing of people who had gone to seek spiritual refuge in God’s sanctuary.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday in a statement condemned the Ozubulu Catholic church attack. He also called Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State on telephone to commiserate with him, the families of the victims and the citizens of the state, the Presidency said.
Mr. Buhari in the statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, described the incident as “an appalling crime against humanity and unspeakable sacrilege.
“This kind of atrocity plumbs the depth of depravity and extreme cruelty of the kind that words cannot adequately express.”
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on his part, described the attack as abominable and the height of wickedness.
In a statement by the Speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Turaki Hassan, Dogara said, “Have we lost our humanity? Where is the place of sanctity of life and sacredness of worship places in our society? What offence did the worshippers commit to warrant their massacre by wicked souls and heartless men?”
Mr. Dogara gain used the opportunity to call for the overhaul of Nigeria’s policing architecture and reform of the police force, saying that equipping the police with modern gadgets would allow them to discharge their duties of protecting lives and property effectively.
The Anambra State governor, who visited the church, also condemned the Sunday killing of worshippers as sacrilege and unacceptable.
Obiano promised to offset the medical bills of injured victims and that his government would find ways to whittle down the anguish of those who lost their beloved ones.
He disclosed that about 50 doctors had been mobilised to the hospital to assist in providing medical care.
“Anambra State will not rest until the perpetrators of the killings are brought to justice,” the governor promised.
The Catholic Diocese of Nnewi, Anambra State have also condemned the killing of its members, saying that the attack was regrettable.
A statement by the Director of Communications for the Diocese, Rev. Hygi Aghaulor, read in part, “What on earth would make people open fire on innocent unarmed worshippers, including children and women, on a Sunday morning?
“We condemn this ungodly act in its totality. For the parishioners, we call on them not to be discouraged in their practice of faith.”
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