The death toll of the tragic Anambra Church killings at St Philip’s Catholic church, Ofufe Nza, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo local government area of Anambra State, when a hooded gunman stormed the church and rained bullets on the congregants, has risen to 11, the police has confirmed.
Recall TheNewsGuru had earlier published that eight people died, while 18 others sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries, in the Anambra gun church attack.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Garba Umar, who provided the update said that the command would leave no turn unturned to bring the attackers to justice.
Mr. Umar, who spoke at a news conference in Awka, gave the updated figures of casualties as 11 dead and 18 injured.
The gunman was said to have entered the church while the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Jude Onwuaso, was delivering his homily.
Confirming that the killings in Anambra Church, Ozubulu, was drug crime-related, the Police said intelligence report/preliminary investigation proved that it was a fight between two sons of the community residing outside the country that caused the incident, adding that it was one of the suspected drug barons who built the church in which the incident happened.
The state governor, Willie Obiano, had earlier also confirmed this, saying he had been briefed by sources in the community that the reason for the killings was as a result of a misunderstanding between two members of the community who live outside the country.
An eyewitness, Pa Don Ogbuagu, told news men that the gunman actually wanted to assassinate a billionaire son of one of the clan chiefs of Ozubulu, Chief Aloysius Ikegwuonu (a.k.a. Bishop Ebubechukwu-Uzo of Ozubulu).
Ogbuagu said unfortunately for the gunman, he met his absence. This forced him to storm a church located near the alleged billionaire’s house (St Philips) in search of him but also found he was not there.
“This angered him to the extent that he opened fire on innocent parishioners, shooting at them indiscriminately. The father of the billionaire was also shot and injured in his hand”, he added.
Also, a statement by the director of communications, Nnewi diocese, Fr. Hygi Aghualor, confirming the incident noted that those who were injured during the incident are receiving treatment at Nnamdi Azikiwe teaching hospital, Nnewi.
The statement made available to newsmen also noted that both the state governor, Willie Obiano and the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese, Most Rev Hilary Okeke visited the scene as soon as the incident was reported to them.
Lamenting over the gruesome killings, Fr. Aghualor said, “It is regrettable that our people are more and more losing sense of the Sacred. What on earth should make people open gun fire on innocent, unarmed worshippers on Sunday morning, including children and women? We condemned this ungodly act in toto.
“We pray the almighty God to console the families affected and assured them that our hearts are with them as we pray for the quick recovery of the wounded. The governor decided to pick the bills of those in the hospital. The parish priest Rev Father Jude was not harmed. For the entire parishioners, we call on them not to be discouraged in their usual practice of faith.
“It is when the forces of darkness attempt to over shadow goodness that the light of God shines even brighter than ever just as it happened at the Easter Sunday. Evil may make attempts but God will always triumph. We call on the good people to continue to pray for the deceased worshippers and the families”.
It’s unspeakable sacrilege –Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday condemned the Anambra Catholic church killings.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President 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.”
According to the President, there is no religion that does not lay constant emphasis on the sanctity of life, adding that “all Nigerians must rise up and speak with one voice against these remorseless evil men.”
President Buhari also spoke on Sunday on the telephone from his hospital bed in London with Governor Obiano.
Shehu disclosed this in another statement.
“The President has just finished speaking to Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, in the course of which he commiserated with him, the families of the victims and the citizens of the state,” the statement said.
Saraki, Ekweremadu lament killings
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said the act was evil.
Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, said killing of the worshippers represented “the purest kind of evil.”
He said, “This brutal act of attacking innocent worshippers represents the purest kind of evil.
“Our security forces must not stop until those involved in execution of the massacre are brought to book.’’
Ekweremadu, in a separate statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, said the attack was “beastly and sacrilegious.”
While describing the day as a black Sunday, the Deputy Senate President called on security agencies to fish out the killers.
He said, “However, this dastardly act brings to the fore, once again, the need to reengineer our security system, to arrest the rising wave of violent crimes in the country.”
Insecurity reducing Nigeria to the state of nature –Dogara
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, 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?”
The Speaker reiterated his call for the overhaul of Nigeria’s policing architecture that would lead to reform of the police force, adding that equipping the police with modern gadgets would allow them to discharge their duties of protecting lives and property effectively.
Mindless attack taken too far–Okowa
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State described the attack as mindless.
Okowa said it was condemnable for anyone to take his anger on a church which was supposed to be a place of refuge.
A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, noted that the tragic incident was unwarranted.
The statement said the attack was a desecration of the temple of God, adding that the Church should be a place of refuge and devoid of attacks even in war.
He said, “This unwarranted attack and mindless bloodletting is not only wicked, but barbaric and must be condemned by all good men of conscience.”
PDP condemns killings
The Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday said it was in shock over the attack.
The party, in a statement by its spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye, described the invasion as barbaric and a serious indication that “our society is fast degenerating into a state of anomie with total moral collapse and utter disregard for the sanctity of human life.”
Adeyeye said the killings was a call for moral rearmament by all and sundry, adding that it was a wake-up call for the government to do more in the area of protection of lives and property.
It is barbaric, says APC
The All Progressives Congress said on Sunday that the attack was barbaric.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, called on security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators “of this heinous crime are brought to justice.’’
“The APC condemns the barbarism displayed by the callous attackers who gunned down defenceless people while they worshiped,” the statement added.
Abdullahi also called on security agents in Anambra, as well as other parts of the country to provide adequate security in places of worship to forestall a repeat of “this unfortunate incident.”
S/East govs forum demands probe
The South-East Governors Forum on Sunday demanded a “proper investigation” into the attack on the Catholic Church.
The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, in a statement said a proper investigation must be conducted to unravel the true cause of the carnage.
He said, “I, on behalf of the South-East Governors Forum, condemn the killings recorded in the church, It shows how wicked our generation is. I call on security agencies to unravel the true cause of the carnage.”
Address proliferation of arms –CAN
The Christian Association of Nigeria also condemned the killings.
CAN President, Dr Supo Ayokunle, said the attack was unwarranted and urged security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Ayokunle in a statement, said, “I urge the Federal Government, through the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to address the issue of proliferation of arms and ammunition to make our world safer.
“The perpetrators of this ungodly act must be brought to book without delay.”
Also, the youth wing of CAN blamed the attack on lapses in security.
The National President of YOWICAN, Daniel Kadzai, in a statement, said, “This attack was made possible as a result of what we consider a deliberate shirking of responsibilities by the state security agencies.
“We demand the arrest of perpetrators of this terrorist-style crime within the next 48 hours. If the state security apparatuses do not stand up to this challenge, YOWICAN will have no choice but to take up this matter using a much strenuous approach.’’