Ozubulu Massacre: Police Release Findings | Bukola Saraki, Others Express Sadness
The Anambra State Police Command issued briefings on the early Sunday shooting attack at Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra state.
The Police gave the briefing in a press conference by the Police state Commissioner Garba Baba Umar:
“At about 6.30hrs of today, 6th August 2017. I got a distress call that gunmen had invaded St. Philip Catholic church Amakwa in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo LGA while the mass was going on and shot at worshipers.
“Police teams along with other sister security agencies under my direct supervision were deployed to the scene to rescue the worshippers.
“Victims were evacuated to the hospital, and the hospital authority has confirmed 11 persons dead, and 18 injured as a result of the shooting.” The Commissioner said.
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CP Umar said, the State Governor, Willie Obiano, visited the scene together with him, and has assured the injured persons of his support in offsetting the medical bills and that the full wrath of law will be visited on the perpetrators.
“The Command under my watch will leave no stone unturned in locating and prosecuting those behind the massacre of innocent worshippers.
“The Command assures Ndi Anambra and the general public that the Police is on top of the situation and will locate and prosecute the perpetrators soon.” He added.
According to him, intelligence report/Preliminary investigation shows that the incident is as a result of a feud between two individuals who are from the community but who live outside Nigeria, and that one of the individual, built the church where the incident occurred.
“It is definitely not a terrorist attack in the mould of boko haram or fulani herdsmen attack.” The CP said.
Umar said the Command views the dastardly act as sacrilegious but for now considers it still premature to disclose the identities of those involved in the act.
“I commiserate with all those who lost their loved ones from this unfortunate incident and pledge that the command would not rest on its oars until the perpetrators are apprehended to face justice.
“I want to also encourage Ndi Anambra to be vigilant and to report strange and suspicious movement of persons and actions in their locality to the security agencies promptly, please.”
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki has expressed deep sadness over the massacre at St. Philip’s Catholic Church, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State on Sunday.
He said,
“Today, my heart goes out to Nigeria’s Christian community, Governor Willy Obiano, the people of Anambra State and the families of the victims and the survivors of this terrible massacre.
“This brutal act of attacking innocent and unsuspecting worshippers represents the purest kind of evil.
“Our security forces must not stop until everyone involved in the orchestration and execution of today’s massacre in St. Philip’s Catholic Church, Anambra, are brought to book by the strong arm of justice.
“The Senate will continue to offer any form of necessary assistance in this endeavor because today, all of us as Nigerians have been attacked by this senseless act committed by evil people.”
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, in a separate statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, described the attack as “beastly and sacrilegious.”
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While describing the day as a black Sunday, the Deputy Senate President called on security agencies to fish out the killers and bring them to justice.
The Convener of Nigerians Unite Against Terror (NUAT) Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, who condemned the gunman’s attack on the community, said the incident had raised serious concern about high level of insecurity scares in the country.
“We view this attack coming at this period as heinous and cowardly as we want to reaffirm that terrorism is one of the most serious threats to national peace and security.
There is no justification whatever for any individual or group to resort to self-help or killing of the innocents, including women and young children in the course of settling whatever dispute, irrespective of whosoever is involved.
We hereby want to express our deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government of Anambra State.
We also wish a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured during this senseless attack, ” she said.
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So sad…some people don’t have the fear of God again, may God have mercy on us!!!
May the soul of the departed RIP………sad day
Some people have sold their minds to the devil, even in the house of God.
We have lost our humanity. May the souls of those that died rest and I wish the injured speedy recovery.
hmmmmmmN