A dark cloud enveloped Amakwa, a village in Ozubulu community in Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Anambra State last Sunday. A lone gunman invaded St Philip’s Catholic Church during the early morning mass, killing 12 worshippers and injuring no fewer than 27 others. There had been a similar incident in the community about 10 years ago when four persons were abducted from the community and taken to Ukpor in Nnewi South Local Government Area of the state before they were killed.
But the killer in last Sunday’s incident did not arrive the scene alone. Five other persons were said to be waiting inside a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) outside the church premises while the killings were going on in the auditorium of the Catholic Church said to have been built about two years ago by a 36-year-old man popularly known as High Chief Aloysius Ikegwuonu. He is said to be a South Africa-based businessman regarded by many in the community as a good example for other wealthy indigenes because of his philanthropist disposition.
The Nation, however, gathered that the incident was orchestrated by a business deal gone sour between Ikegwuonu and one of his kinsmen. In the cause of the church’s
invasion, Ikegwuonu’s father was killed while his stepmother, Caroline, was injured.
The Nation was reliably informed that the alleged drug baron had left the community for Lagos two days before the incident and left the shores of Nigeria the following day. When our correspondent visited the community, there was palpable fear on the faces of residents, even though many of them were already going about their normal businesses. Some other churches in the area had been sealed by security operatives to avoid a repeat of the ugly incident. Security men have also been deployed to the sleepy community by Commissioner of Police, Garba Baba Umar.
Residents exonerate alleged invaders’ target
An interesting development in the saga is that no member of Ozubulu community would speak evil of the young builder of the church popularly called Bishop because of the philanthropic gesture.
The Nation gathered that the alleged main rival of Bishop in the community, Chinedu Ahuronu a.k.a. Obrocho, has been in prison in South Africa. The Nation investigation also revealed that no fewer than 400 members of the sleepy community live in South Africa in search of greener pastures. Although the number was not confirmed by the traditional ruler of Ozubulu, Igwe Nnamdi Fidelis Oruche, he confirmed that many of their sons and daughters are in South Africa. In a chat with our correspondent, he vowed that the community would go traditional in unearthing the people responsible for the mayhem if security agents cannot get to the roots of it.
Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, who rushed to the scene on learning about the incident, promptly announced that the state would pick the bills for all the victims in hospitals. He also said the state government would be actively involved in the burial of the dead to mitigate the pains of the families.
Some families had two or three persons dead or injured.
The alleged drug baron’s stepmother, 40-year-old Caroline Ikegwuonu, who was hit by a bullet in her abdomen, was discharged from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi on Thursday. Until she was discharged from the hospital, the poor woman did not know that her husband, Pa Cyprian Ikegwuonu, had been shot dead.
The Nation gathered that when the man was shot in the church, he was rushed to the hospital by the policemen attached to him through his son, but it was too late.
A policeman, who spoke with The Nation said everybody was willing to donate blood to save the man’s life, but it was too late. He blamed the hospital for the delay that caused his death.
But medical doctors at (NAUTH) denied the allegation, saying that some of them even donated blood to save the lives of some of the victims rushed to the hospital. They described the allegation of the security man as false.
Indigenes lament killings
Since the incident occurred, Ozubulu has become a Mecca of sort, particularly for political office seekers. Some of them also donated money for the upkeep of the victims and families on hearing that Obiano had taken care of the hospital bills.
For Godwin Ezeemo, the invasion of the church was evidence of the moral decadence in the society, as he wondered why a person or group of persons would muster courage to take war to the House of God. “We lost it all. It was a proof of our morality level going down the depth,” he said.
He said a wake-up call had been given to all parents, guardians and custodians of institutions where children are being trained and moulded to take the building of a sane society seriously by imparting values and morals to our growing children who when they become adults, would have a pricking conscience and fear for God and humanity.
He believes that the group of persons who engaged in this gruesome act had sold their soul out and could only be redeemed by God.
“We from this part of the world must lay less emphasis on money. Trust in money is a sin being committed by all. No exception. Money is our idol in Igbo land. I do not know where we are going,” he said.
The industrialist, while sympathising with the community, urged the government to deploy its antenna to see that the matter is pursued to a logical conclusion in order prevent a reoccurrence. He called on the youth to engage in genuine businesses which would blossom in the course of time and cater for all their economic and social needs.
Ezeemo said the urge to get rich quick and failure of family members to ask questions from their children, wards and relatives on the sources of their wealth have been the bane of the society.
One of the community leaders in Ozubulu, Chief Timothy Nwadike, told The Nation that what happened in the community was a national calamity. Nwadike, who is the President General of Egbema Ozubulu, said that the community would not sit down and watch anybody or group of people destroy the peaceful community.
Another community leader in the area, 70-year-old Chief John Ejimkonye, told The Nation that everybody in the community had been in shock since the incident occurred on Sunday, praying God not to allow such a thing happen again in their life time.
However, they refused to be drawn into comments on the alleged feud between the drug barons in their community, adding that only God could intervene in the calamity that had befallen the area.
Former female governor of Anambra State, Dame Virgy Etiaba, who flew in from Lagos as a result, commiserated with the victims.
destroy the peaceful community.
Another community leader in the area, 70-year-old Chief John Ejimkonye, told The Nation that everybody in the community had been in shock since the incident occurred on Sunday, praying God not to allow such a thing happen again in their life time.
However, they refused to be drawn into comments on the alleged feud between the drug barons in their community, adding that only God could intervene in the calamity that had befallen the area.
Former female governor of Anambra State, Dame Virgy Etiaba, who flew in from Lagos as a result, commiserated with the victims.
