President Muhammadu Buhari, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State; the All Progressives Congress; the Peoples Democratic Party; and the South-East Governors’ Forum said the act was sacrilegious, calling for prompt action to bring the culprits to book.
The gunmen attacked St. Philips Catholic Church at about 6am.
No fewer than 11 persons were said to have been killed, while over 18 people were reportedly injured.
Punch correspondents gathered that two sons of the community, who were based in South Africa, had a business transaction that went sour.
One of them was said to have built two churches for the community, including the one that was attacked on Sunday.
A police source said about six gunmen came to the church, while one entered into the building.
He said, “We received reports that over 30 Ozubulu indigenes based in South Africa had been killed over a disagreement between a man, identified as bishop, and his fellow Ozobulu indigene. It was said that the feud concerned a failed business deal.
“We understand that some gunmen had been after bishop and his men in South Africa and about seven of bishop’s men had been killed.
“At about 6am this morning (Sunday), some men invaded St. Philip Catholic Church.
“As of 9am, 11 persons were already dead, including the father of the man that allegedly built the church.
“The men killed the father since the son is elusive.”
Another source told one of our correspondents that the gunmen identified a particular car parked on the church premises and concluded that their target was in the church.
“They arrived at the church during the first mass and one of them went inside; he started shooting towards the direction he believed the father was seated. He shot indiscriminately and many bullets hit innocent members of the congregation. He also hit their target – bishop’s father.
“No fewer than 18 worshippers were injured; and I am sure that about 11 persons were killed.”
He said the injured worshippers were rushed to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, while corpses were taken to a “nearby mortuary.”
He said the six gunmen left the church unchallenged.
Umar, who spoke at a news conference in Awka on Sunday, said the police had a record of 11 deaths, while 18 persons were injured.
He ruled out the possibility of a terror attack, adding that the command had invited some suspects.
He said, “The intelligence report and preliminary investigation showed that the incident was as a result of a feud between two individuals from the same community living outside Nigeria.
“One of the individuals built the church where the shooting occurred; it is not a terrorist attack.”
The Catholic Diocese of Nnewi, Anambra State, said the attack was regrettable.
The church in a statement by the Director of Communications for the Diocese, Rev. Hygi Aghaulor, said the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Jude Onwuaso, escaped unhurt.
It read in part, “What on earth would make people open fire on innocent unarmed worshippers, including children and women, on a Sunday morning?
“We condemn this ungodly act in its totality. For the parishioners, we call on them not to be discouraged in their practice of faith.”
The Anambra State governor, who visited the church, described the act as a sacrilege and unacceptable.
Obiano promised to offset the medical bills of injured victims, adding that the government would find ways to mitigate the pains of those who lost their beloved ones.
He said, “The Anambra State will not rest until the perpetrators of the killings are brought to justice.
“Intelligence report linked the shooting to an existing feud between some members of Umuezekwe Ofufe Amakwa community living abroad.
“It is an isolated case and I urge residents to go about their normal activities.”
He also said 50 doctors had been mobilised to the hospital to assist in providing medical care.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the governor also visited Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Cathedral, Nnewi, where he addressed a congregation of worshippers.
The Parish Priest of St. Philip’s Catholic Church, Rev. Fr. Jude Onwuaso, told NAN that the attack took place at about 6.30am.
He said, “An unidentified man came into the church, shot at a man, Chief Akunwafor Ikegwuonwu, before shooting indiscriminately at other worshippers.”
It’s unspeakable sacrilege –Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday condemned the Anambra Catholic church attack.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President described the incident as “an appalling crime against humanity and unspeakable sacrilege.
“This kind of atrocity plumbs the depth of depravity and extreme cruelty of the kind that words cannot adequately express.”
According to the President, there is no religion that does not lay constant emphasis on the sanctity of life, adding that “all Nigerians must rise up and speak with one voice against these remorseless evil men.”
One of our correspondents reports that Buhari spoke on Sunday on the telephone with Obiano.
Shehu disclosed this in another statement.
“The President has just finished speaking to Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, in the course of which he commiserated with him, the families of the victims and the citizens of the state,” the statement said.
PDP condemns killings
The Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday said it was in shock over the attack.
The party, in a statement by its spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye, described the invasion as barbaric and a serious indication that “our society is fast degenerating into a state of anomie with total moral collapse and utter disregard for the sanctity of human life.”
Adeyeye said the killings was a call for moral rearmament by all and sundry, adding that it was a wake-up call for the government to do more in the area of protection of lives and property.
It is barbaric, says APC
The All Progressives Congress said on Sunday that the attack was barbaric.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, called on security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators “of this heinous crime are brought to justice.’’
“The APC condemns the barbarism displayed by the callous attackers who gunned down defenceless people while they worshiped,” the statement added.
Abdullahi also called on security agents in Anambra, as well as other parts of the country to provide adequate security in places of worship to forestall a repeat of “this unfortunate incident.”
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