As many as 50 worshippers are feared dead following an armed invasion of St. Philips Catholic Church in Ozubulu, Anambra State on Sunday, August 6, 2017.
News Express reports a source as saying, “Unknown gunmen invaded the church while service was in progress spraying the innocent worshipers with bullets.”
According to the source, the shooting took place around 6:30 a.m during mass.
The Anambra Command of the Nigeria Police Force says that it has identified the gunmen who invaded the church and killed scores of worshippers.
Garba Baba Umar, the police commissioner for Anambra State, confirmed the attack to the press saying that “only one gunman” invaded the church. He said that the suspect has been identified but did not give further details.
Eyewitnesses have provided videos of the shocking attack. Sources, who spoke with The Trent say that the injured were taken to Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi.
A leading human rights organisation, Intersociety, has condemned the church massacre hinting that this incident marks the ‘return of bloodshed and dirty politics‘ in Anambra.
“While we totally condemn the latest massacre at the Ozubulu St Philips Catholic Church, we urge the police crime/homicide detectives, if any, to primarily zero down their investigations on killing arising from frustrations over a failed assassination attempt targeted at the escaped victim by a relative-sponsor at large,”Emeka Umeagbalasi, the board chair of Intersociety wrote in an e-mailed statement to The Trent.
“Politicians, members of the rich class and other members of the public as well as public office holders must put a stop to bloodshed and respect the sanctity of human lives.
“The Anambra State Police Command must leave no stone unturned and ensure that the culprits wherever they are or reside, are fished out by way of arrest or extradition and made to face the law in its fullness.
“An eyewitness account per Don Ogbuagu has it that the gunmen actually went to assassinate a billionaire son of one of the clan chiefs of Ozubulu-Chief Aloysius Ikegwuonu (a.k.a. Bishop Ebubechukwu-Uzo of Ozubulu), but unfortunately for them, they met his absence; forcing them to storm a church located near his house (St Philips) in search of him during which he was nowhere to be found; which angered them and forced them to open fire on parishioners and shot them indiscriminately.
“The father of the billionaire was also shot and injured in his hand. The dead and the injured were taken to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital at Nnewi.
“The Anambra Governor who visited the church also said the killing resulted from a feud between two brothers of the same parents in the community,” the statement said.
The graphic videos from the scene of the crime are below. Viewer discretion is advised.
