The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the death of 12 persons after gunmen attacked St. Philips Catholic Church in Ozubulu area of Anambra State.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Garba Umar, told Channels Television on Sunday that the gunmen went into the church during an early morning mass and shot sporadically at worshippers.
According to him, many people were injured in the attack while some of the victims died on their way to the hospital.
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“This morning at about 0620hrs, we received an 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.”
The death toll, however, is now said to have risen to 12.
Mr Umar explained that the attack was not unconnected to what he described as gang violence between some indigenes of the state.
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”.
The Police Commissioner said the Command has put measures in place to apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice.
Meanwhile, the state governor, Willie Obiano, has visited the scene of the attack and promised that investigations would commence immediately to bring the perpetrators to book.
