Over twenty worshipers have been killed in broad day light by yet to be identified gunmen who invaded the St Phillips Catholic Church, Ofufe Amakwa, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo local government area of Anambra State and leaving several others with various degrees of wounds.
Speaking with HardReporters correspondent in Awka, one of the worshipers who simply identified his name as Ogechukwu said at about 8:00 am during mass service, unknown gun men invaded St Philips Catholic Church, Amakwa Ozubulu and began to shoot sporadically leaving over 20 worshipers dead with several others with wounds.
It was learnt the armed to teeth gunmen came into church to search for a prominent personality in the community and when they could not lay their hands on him, they opened fire on the worshippers who had gathered for the mass.
“The Parish Priest was not harmed but scores have been confirmed dead including children, while many were wounded by the bullets sprayed by the gunmen. The gunmen came looking for a prominent man who unknowingly to the gunmen had left the village a day before the incident.
“The attack may not be unconnected with a drug deal gone soar because the prominent man known as Nnamdi Ikegwounwu (Ebubechukwuuzo Ozubulu) is known to be the most dangerous drug baron based in South Africa and the financier of the church project that was invaded.” a source alleged.
As at the time of this report, the death toll is on the increase while the injured and the lifeless bodies have been taken to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH Nnewi.
Meanwhile, the Anambra state police commissioner, Mr. Garba Umar has said that the person who carried the attack must be an indigene of the area.
“We gathered that worshippers for 6a.m Sunday mass at St. Philip Catholic Church were in the service when the gunman dressed in black attire covering his face with a cap, entered the church and moved straight to a particular direction and opened fire.
“The man after opening fire, at his target, still went on a shooting spree, killing and wounding other worshippers. Information available to police showed that the attacker was speaking undiluted Igbo language at the time he was firing at worshippers.” Umar said.
According to the police boss, though no arrest has been made, but the police already learnt that the attack followed a quarrel between two natives of Ozubulu residing overseas, saying the police has launched a manhunt on those behind the act, giving assurance that everybody behind the act would be brought to justice.
