Early Sunday 6th August,unknown gunmen invaded the early morning Mass at St Phillips Catholic Church Egbema Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government and shot several worshippers to early deaths and a number of our people were also injured.
The number of people confirmed dead is 15 though some people say up to 50 might have been killed.
The victims were participating at the 6am Mass when the trigger happy men invaded the area and blocked the three entrances into the church and began shooting indiscriminately thereby causing commotion.
Governor Willie Obiano has visited the church and the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital where over 50 doctors are battling to save lives of the injured persons.
Confirming, Garba Umar, commissioner of Police, said in Awka, that “From our findings, it is very clear that the person who carried the attack must be an indigene of the area.
“We gathered that worshippers for 6 o’clock Sunday mass at St. Philip Ozobulu were in the service when a gunman dressed in black attire covering his face with a cap entered the church and moved straight to a particular direction and opened fire.
“The man after shooting at his targeted victims still went on a shooting spree, killing and wounding other worshippers,’’ he said.
The commissioner said information available to police showed that the attacker was speaking undiluted Igbo Language at the time he was firing at worshippers.
Umar said though no arrest had been made, the police already learnt that the attack followed a quarrel between two natives of Ozubulu residing overseas.
Describing the act as sacrilegious, the commissioner of police said it was wrong for the perpetrators of the act to extend their quarrel into the church.
He added: “Such conduct shows the people behind the act do not fear God.’’
He said the police had launched a manhunt on those behind the act and gave an assurance that everybody behind the act would be brought to justice.
Umar described any insinuation that the attack was carried out by Boko Haram elements as false and urged the people to go about their normal business.
Realnews gathered that the shootings resulted from war between drug barons from the community who are based in South Africa who invaded the church built by Aloysius Ikegwuonu, also known as Bishop, whose father was shot dead in the church.
The drug barons are said to be at war over an undisclosed matter and that the shooting in the church is just a warning.
