Black Sunday: Unidentified gunmen kill a dozen in Anambra Catholic Church

A yet to be identified gunmen with fully loaded AK 47 riffles, on Sunday, attacked the St.Philip Catholic Church, Ozubulu, not far from Nnewi in Anambra state where according to rumour, up to 50 persons were killed. However, Anambra state Police Commissioner, Garba Umar has refuted this claim saying... '[as at this time] only eight (now eleven) worshipers were confirmed dead, eighteen others have hospitalized while three others sustained fatal gun wounds.


The church is believed to have been built by one of the Waring parties simply identified as Ebube-Chukwuka.

The possible reason for the attack
The attack, which is rumoured to have been instigated by disagreements between two South African based drug barons who are natives of Ozubulu, occurred around 7am local time just as worshipers gathered for the early.

It was gathered that two natives of the town who are drug barons and resident in South Africa had disagreements in that country and brought it home. Thugs loyal to one of the men, it was learnt, stormed the church and killed the father of the other alongside other worshipers.

“It is a sacrilege to storm a church and attack worshipers. The attack was carried out by assassins [we believe]," the state police commissioner said while condemning the massacre. "Eleven worshipers were confirmed dead and 18 hospitalized. Three unknown persons were fatally wounded. We are yet to ascertain who they are. They killed the father of one of the two men fighting. We have not made any arrests but [we] are making efforts to aprehend all the killers,” the police chief added.

While also commenting on the ugly incident that claimed the lives of several innocent persons, the Parish Priest Reverend. Fr. Jude Onwuaso, stated that the evil attack

took place at about 6.30 a.m. while the church was observing a Holy Mass celebration.

"An unidentified man, who was completely dressed in black, came into the Church and shot one Chief Akunwafor Ikegwuonwu, before shooting sporadically at other worshipers," the parish priest, revealed.

Chris Ngige wants the police to track down the shooters
Meanwhile, Nigeria's Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr. Chris Ngige wants the
country's security agents to urgently unravel the circumstances surrounding the murder
of innocent worshipers on Sunday. He described the killings as wicked, dastardly and unwarranted.

”Sunday's killing is so dastardly and so wicked is a dangerous dimension which is very  alien to our people and culture. I therefore call on the police and other relevant security agencies to leave no stone unturned in tracking down the murderers and bringing them to justice,” the minister said. Adding, “If justice is a virtue  that observes the right of all,  then, justice must be given to these innocent worshipers


Ohaneze Ndigbo condemns the attack
Ohaneze Ndigbo, a South-East Socio-Cultural group, has issued a statement through it's National Publucity Secretary, Prince Uche Achi-Okpaga, condemning Sunday's deadly attack on St Philip Catholic Church. “Such a dastardly and cantankerous act smells to high heaven,” the group said. “People have lost reason, civility and good conscience. This is a direct attack on God with daft and brazen impunity.

“The devil sold a dummy to them and they bought it hook, line and sinker. This is condemned in all ramification. If you attack a man you appeal to God for recompense, when you attack God in His sanctuary who will will appeal to. Ohaneze [Ndigbo] joins the league of well meaning Nigerians to commiserate with the good people of Anambra state and, in particular, the entire bereaved families and pray the Almighty God to give them enough spiritual shock absorber to bear the irreparable and irreplaceable loss.

“The operatives should not speculate. They should swing into action to unmask the devil incarnates.The whole of South East is under siege with Police and military blockades here and there. Yet herdsmen killings and kidnapping and all sorts of vices have become the order of the day. It is unfortunate,” he lamented.at any cost,” the group added.