Governor Obiano and the police commissioner must be held responsible for the massacre in Ozubulu!

Jonathan Ekene Ifeanyi

Aloysius Ikegwuonu (middle)

As I stated in my last week report, Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, who is about to contest for a second term by November this year, following the earlier police report, said the attack on worshippers at Ozubulu Church that took place on Sunday, August 6, had nothing to do with terrorists but is “a gang war that had spilled over to the state from another African country.” — meaning the alleged feud between the two Ozubulu brothers (the alleged drug dealers). It was alleged that the attack was a spill-over of a drug related feud, between two Ozubulu brothers who live in South Africa, one of whom, Aloysius Ikegwuonu (aka Bishop) built the Church. The main matter was said to be between Chief Aloysius Ikegwuonu (rumoured to be a drug baron) and another Ozubulu man popularly known as Obrocho. It was alleged that the gunmen had traced Chief Aloysius to his house, but were told he had gone to church where he was meant to hold “a thanksgiving service”.

One blogger, Uju Ayalogu, narrated another different story altogether, alleging it was a drug war between Aloysius and his friend and secondary school classmate, Ginika Nwoke, which later became a war between Ozubulu people and the people of Mbaise (in Imo State), following Aloysius’ (alleged) murder of Ginika Nwoke (alias Giniyee), a native of Mbaise some years ago, which prompted Mbaise people to declare war on the people of Ozubulu, a war which, according to her, has already claimed many lives. So many stories! 

Of course, there may be some elements of truth in the stories but the fact is that they are many and different.

Well, at last the young man, Aloysius Ikegwuonu, is back! As someone commented, “Governor Obiano & the police commissioner must be held responsible for the massacre in Ozubulu. Why should they be alleging that a terrorists’ attack against innocent worshippers was a handiwork of drug cartel war? Every discerning mind can see, that the government is lying to us”.

Aloysius Ikegwuonu (in black) with the victims of Ozubulu church attack in the hospital.

As I stated in my last report, “my suspicion is that Obiano, the Governor, is afraid the matter may tarnish the image of his administration and consequently cost him the loss of the forthcoming governorship election — hence his hasty vindication of the police report even though there is no evidence for that, still.”

And may I add, not just the Governor but also the police and all those journalists who narrated different stories against the young man, must come out now to prove their allegations. Unless they can prove all they wrote against him—that is, that he is a drug dealer and that the killers invaded the Church because of him—they must get ready for whatever action he may decide to take against them.

Already before returning to the country, Mr. Ikegwuonu had made the following statements:

My attention has been drawn to a social media campaign where it is alleged that I am connected to the Ozubulu church killing over a drug problem.

For the avoidance of any doubt I wish to inform the general public that I know nothing about the church killings and I have never been involved in drugs.

I have never been arrested or convicted anywhere in the world. My businesses are legitimate businesses, duly registered. Apart from warehousing and wholesale of goods I am also a contractor involved in the construction of roads and infrastructure in Nigeria.

It’s shameful that Nigerians and the media don’t verify any story before running with them.

The handwork of those who are jealous of my success and who are determined to tarnish my image is evident.

The Church killings is an unprecedented evil that deserves full investigation to unmask the perpetrators.

We await investigations and full police report of the church attack.

In the meantime I request all social media and media houses to retract my name from the defamatory stories linking me with the church killing.

Failure to do so and any further linking of my name with the church killings will force me to take legal action against the purveyors of the defamatory false story.

Aloysius Ikegwuonwu          

Photos below: Aloysius Ikegwuonu visited the victims who survived the attack in the hospital: