There has been a distortion in the reports on the identity of the actual killer, [gunman] or killers [gunmen] of eight worshippers on Sunday at St. Philip Catholic Church, Ozubulu in Anambra state.
When the first wave of news reports on incident hit the internet space, over four hours ago [12:00 pm], most news media at the time, erroneously reported that the attack was perpetrated by some unknown gunmen.
However, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Garba Umar on Sunday confirmed that it is only one gunman that carried out the killings.
Also, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, who reacted to the Anambra Church killings in a video shared by his supporters on Facebook led a whole lot of netizens confused about the ethnic background of the gunman, by blaming the Hausa, Fulani as being the mastermind of the incident.
In the video, enraged Kanu said Igbos are tired of the so many killings which he blamed on the current structure of the country that placed ‘Biafra’ under the Nigerian government.
Watch the video: ‘We are tired of being killed by Hausa,Fulani’ – Nnamdi Kanu
On the contrary, Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, while quoting an intelligence report gathered by the state linked the shooting to an existing feud existing between some members of Umuezekwe Ofufe Amakwa community of Ozubulu living abroad.
Accordingly, the report of the state’s commissioner of police, Garba corroborated with Governor Obiano’s account, which both debunks the Nnamdi Kanu speculation of a possible invasion.
Garba said, “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.
Parish priest, choir member speak
The Parish Priest of St. Philip’s Catholic Church, Rev. Fr. Jude Onwuaso, said that the attack took place at about 6.30 a.m. during a Holy Mass celebration.
According to the priest, an unidentified man came into the Church, shot at a man, Chief Akunwafor Ikegwuonwu, before shooting sporadically at other worshippers.
An eyewitness, who simply identified herself as a choir member, said that the church was dark as there was no light.
She said that the generating set suddenly developed fault; so, the mass proceeded with the congregation using candles.
According to her, the gunman, after the shooting, immediately jumped into a waiting car with a driver.
Why the shootings?
There are strong speculations that the gun attack is motivated by drug deals gone wrong.
Recall that the Obiano gave a hint, saying the killings were as a result of a feud existing between some members of Umuezekwe Ofufe Amakwa community of Ozubulu who are living abroad.