Perpetrators of Sunday’s Church massacre must be brought to justice, many said yesterday. Those who reacted to the attack on worshippers are asking law enforcement agencies to swing into action, report TONY AKOWE, OGOCHUKWU ANIOKE, VICTOR OLUWASEGUN, OSHEYE OKWUOFU AND FRANK IKPEFAN.
IT was still gloomy yesterday in Amakwa-Ozubulu, an Anambra community in Ekwusigo Local Government Area. Residents were recounting the shooting of parishioners at St. Philip’s Catholic Church during Sunday’s early morning Mass by a lone gunman.
The yet-to-be-identified gunman, who emptied his cartridge and reloaded it, escaped in a waiting car as he continued shooting.
The Anambra State Police Commissioner, Garba Baba Urmar confirmed the death of 11 members of the congregation. He said 18 others were injured.
Survivors recount ordeal
Some of the survivors yesterday recounted the Anambra church shooting. They said the victims were mostly children and the elderly.
Charles Justice, who brought his wounded friends to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital in Nnewi, said the incident happened after the homily at 6am Mass, the Premium Times reported yesterday.
“Those who died are mostly children and the elderly, I know about three children who were below five years that died in the shooting.” said Mr. Justice was quoted as saying.
According to him, three of the victims had died at the hospital, a claim corroborated by a medical doctor who pleaded for anonymity.
Sixteen parishioners among those injured, were reported to be in stable conditions yesterday. Six had successfully undergone surgeries, it was learnt.
The police preliminary investigation confirmed the theory that the gun spray was triggered by a feud between two individuals of the same community who reside overseas.
“One of the individuals built the church where the shooting occurred; it is definitely not a terrorist attack in the mould of Boko Haram of Fulani herdsmen attack,” said Garba Umar, the state’s police commissioner.
On Sunday, the church cordoned off by security operatives, as blood stains and expended bullets littered the premises. Many of the villagers and sympathisers were seen yesterday standing in groups and discussing the incident in hushed tones.
At the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital in Nnewi, where most of the victims were admitted, people struggled to gain entrance through the heavily guarded gate.
Azuka Ejidike said he lost his father-in-law to the shooting. But Nonso Nwakibe gave thanks to God as his mother, Antonia, lay groaning from the pains of the bullet wounds on her arm.
Ogochukwu Maduka, a Lay Reader at the church, said she had arrived for the Mass and found the church in darkness.
She said: “After much effort to get the generator to work failed, they had resort to using candles and rechargeable lamps”
Ms. Maduka, who said she sat on the front roll during the Mass, said: “The holy Mass had proceeded as usual, after the first, second and gospel reading, and then the priest’s homily, as we stood up for the proclamation of faith, there was a sound of gun like thunder from behind.
“There was chaos and panic and confusion. The priest ran away as the gunshots continued and I took cover under the seat.
“When people started running around, the man began shooting upwards. Those mostly affected were those at the back of the church.”
Ms. Maduka claimed she counted about 15 corpses afterwards but the police confirmed 11.
Nnagolum Oramidike, a primary three pupil, who was shot in the leg, said: “I bent down” while the shooting was going on.”
His mother, Chioma, who also sustained bullet wounds, said she was worried the news would devastate her husband, who had just travelled abroad to seek greener pastures, but hoped he would find out they were alive.
“The shooting started around 7am and my father in law was not so lucky,” said Mrs. Oramidike, 32, whose daughter was hit by a motorcycle amidst the chaos.
“I don’t know how to take care of my children now I’m incapacitated”, she added.
Ifeoma Onyeka sat beside her 14-year-old daughter who had just been operated upon. Her older, foster daughter, Anwurika Mboje, did not survive the incident – she had died right inside the church.
“I survived by taking shelter under the seat while the children must have started running because of lack of knowledge of what to do in such a circumstance”, she said.
Fed Govt sends more doctors
The Federal Ministry of Health has placed medical experts on standby to beef up services at the Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, for worshippers injured in the Ozubulu church attack, should the need arise.
Media and Public Relations Director in the ministry Mrs. Boade Akinola confirmed yesterday that the Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has approved the arrangement.
The minister, who described the incident as shocking, assured the referral hospital’s Chief Medical Director (CMD) of immediate federal support upon request.
He commended the doctors at the hospital for being proactive in their response to the emergency.
Prof Adewole commiserated with the government and people of Anambra on the unfortunate incident.
Governor Willie Obiano has promised to unmask the masterminds and bring them to justice.
NHRC, ANN condemn killing
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC Acting Executive Secretary, Mrs Oti Ovrawah, condemned the killing of worshippers by the gunman.
In a statement signed in Abuja yesterday by the NHRC’s Media Relations’ Head, Fatimah Mohammad, Mrs. Ovrawah described the killing as unacceptable, adding that there was no justification for it.
She noted that the sanctity of life of every one living in Nigeria was important, and called on security agencies to step up their intelligence gathering techniques.
Mrs. Ovrawah further urged security agencies to urgently fish out the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
According to her, everyone living in Nigeria has a right to life and should enjoy this right without fear and intimidation.
She commended state government for its prompt decision to foot the medical expenses of the injured victims, and condoled with the families of the victims.
The Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), a new political group, also condemned in strong terms the killings at the worship place.
It described it as an unimaginable desecration of the house of God and unparalleled disregard for the sanctity of the human life.
The group’s spokesman Leonard Ebute said the group received with shock news of the dawn raid on the church which left many people dead and scores injured.
Saying the attack was unacceptable, ANN’s spokesman said: “We are not interested in the motivation of the killers or the reason behind such heinous crime. We are not unmindful of different stories making the rounds purportedly explaining the reason behind the killings.
“The ANN is not interested in these stories while trusting security agencies to do a thorough job in fishing out the killers and make them tell the whole world the reason behind such dastardly act.
“While we await that, we make haste to tell fellow Nigerians that acts like this do not have a space in the Nigeria the group is envisioning for her weary compatriots.”
The ANN said the trauma caused families of victims and people of Ozoubulu could better be imagined and expressed its heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the raid and prayed for a peaceful repose of the souls of the victims.
The statement reads: “ANN feels your pain. We also sympathise with the people of Anambra State over this ugly development and all members of the Catholic community in the town and the state in general. We pray God to console you Himself and help in bringing to justice those behind this crime against humanity.”
Southeast lawmakers’ caucus wants killers arrested
The Southeast Caucus in the House of Representatives described the killing of parishioners as highly unacceptable.
In a signed statement issued in Abuja by Chukwuka Onyema, the Caucus called on security agencies to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of all those connected to the heinous crime.
Onyema, who is the House’ Deputy Minority Leader, said: “The devilish and unwholesome murder of innocent worshippers in a church, where they went to seek the face of God is highly reprehensible and is a case that must be properly investigated to speedily restore the people’s confidence of their safety.”
He also commiserated with the families of the deceased on behalf of the Caucus, and prayed for quick recovery of the victims.
Onyema said in honour of the dead and to keep their community safe, those who can assist the security agencies with information to solve the crime, should do so.
The Caucus leader extended his heartfelt condolences to the Catholic Church, Anambra government and Nigeria over the sad and unfortunate incident.
‘It’s an attack on God’
The pro-East Socio-Cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, yesterday condemned the attack by unknown gunmen, describing it as an attack on God.
“Such a dastardly and cantankerous act smells to high heaven. People have lost reason, civility and good conscience. This is a direct attack on God with daft and brazen impunity.”, the organisation noted.
In statement by group’s National Publucity Secretary, Prince Uche Achi-Okpaga, Ohaneze described the attack as unforgivable.
It said: “The devil sold a dummy to them and they bought it hook, line and sinker. This is condemned in all ramifications. If you attack a man you appeal to God for recompense, when you attack God in His sanctuary who will appeal to?” he queried.
Commiserating with the government and people of the state, the group urged the Police not to speculate but to carry out detailed investigation to unmask the real perpetrators.
The statement reads: “Ohaneze 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 absorbers to bear the irreparable and irreplaceable loss.
“The operatives should not speculate. They should swing into action to unmask the devil incarnates.”
Achi-Okpaga further charged security agencies to redouble their efforts to make the south east zone safer for the people.
“The whole of Southeast 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.”
Ekiti governor
calls for probe
Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose commiserated with the Catholic Church of Nigeria, the government and people of Anambra State as well as families of the victims.
He described the killers as wicked and devilish.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the governor called on the police and other security agencies to carry out a thorough investigation on the killings with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.
He was quoted as saying: “Killing fellow human beings is devilish, not to talk of killings in the House of God. I condemn the Ozubulu murder in its entirety.”
Calling for value reorientation in the country, Fayose said: “It is time for us as a nation to have another look at our moral values. Where did we get it so wrong that we now kill one another at will?
“Boko Haram killings in the Northeast, Badoo killings in Lagos, Fulani herdsmen killings across the country, ritual killings everywhere, and now, drug war, what’s wrong with us as a people? Why is it that we no longer value human lives?
“Methinks there is urgent need for leaders of this country to take the issue of moral value reorientation of the citizens seriously.”
Fish out perpetrators, NLC, UPP urges government
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the United Progressive Party (UPP) yesterday urged the government to bring to book those behind Sunday’s killing of innocent worshipers.
In a statement in Abuja, NLC President Ayuba Wabba said the assailants must be identified and apprehended He described the incident as shocking, bizarre and reprehensible.
Wabba said: “Places of worship quite often in decent conflicts are sanctuaries. What makes this attack more confounding is the fact that Ozubulu is far removed from any known theatre of conflict at the moment and has had little or no history of violent conflict.
“Whatever may have been the situation, this attack represents a descent into the pit of hell. It is animalistic, cowardly and shameful and all necessary steps should immediately be taken by security forces to bring the perpetrators to book.
“Our heartfelt condolences go to the families of the victims, the Catholic Church, Governor Willie Obiano and the people of Anambra State. We urge our security agencies to step up security in and around places of worship. We similarly urge worshippers to take the initiative of securing their premises.”
The National Chairman of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chekwas Okorie, said the party received with shock the news of the killing, describing it as cowardly, detestable and abominable.
He added that the murder of the Catholic faithful inside the Church while worshipping the Almighty God was outrageous, a sacrilege and sadism of the worst order.
“We also commiserate with the leadership of Saint Philip’s Catholic Church, the Government and people of Anambra State and pray that God Almighty will give them the fortitude to bear the loss of these loved ones. We equally pray for the speedy recovery of those wounded in this senseless attack.
“We urge security agents to fish out the assailants and their sponsors and bring them to book to serve as a deterrent to those who would contemplate this heinous crime against fellow compatriots. This madness must stop.”
Youths condemn killing
Some youths took to the streets in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital to protest the gruesome killing in the Anambra Church
The, youths, who bemoaned the failures of the leaders to provide enabling environment suitable for them to grow and develop their potentials, urged the security forces to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book.
They described the Anambra killing as a crime against humanity.
