Anambra: Children injured, 12 dies as gunmen attack Catholic Church in Ozubulu
At least 12 people were confirmed by the Police to have been killed today during Morning Mass as gunmen shot sporadically at worshippers at attacked St. Philips Catholic Church in Ozubulu area of Anambra State.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Garba Umar, speaking to Channels Television on Sunday confirmed the incident.
He said: “This morning at about 0620hrs, we received information that some armed men invaded St. Philips Catholic Church in Ozubulu where the presiding priest was conduction an early morning mass. The assassins came in and started firing and in the process, some people were injured and were taken to hospital where some of them were confirmed dead”, he said.
“At the moment, at the Nnewi Teaching Hospital, it was confirmed that eight persons were killed and three others died at another hospital which we have not ascertained but all in all, 11 persons lost their lives in this dastardly act.”
Many worshippers in the church were attacked and some died on the spot while others died as they are taken to the hospital for treatments.
Mr Umar revealed that the attack was a gang violence, He said: “Information further revealed that this is not unconnected to a kind of a ‘gang war’ between indigenes of the state – the children of the same village – who are engaged in a warfare outside Nigeria, precisely in South Africa”.
He assured that the police will do everything possible to ensure the arrest of those involved as no one will be able to flee the state.
The governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, while on his visit to the scene promised that investigations will be done thoroughly and that the perpetrators will be brought to book.
