Jonathan
Ekene Ifeanyi
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| A still from a video of St. Philip’s Church in Anambra, Nigeria, after it was attacked. The police commissioner for Anambra State, Garba Umar, said the shootings there were “not unconnected to a kind of a ‘gang war.’”Channels Tv, via Reuters |
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| Blood stains after the killing in the Church |
So far, the police claim to have arrested some alleged suspects over
last Sunday massacre of innocent Novus Ordo worshippers at St. Philip’s
Catholic Church in Ozubulu, Anambra State, but refuse to disclose their
identity, their reason being that “it is
a sensitive matter and we have to tread with caution.”
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| Police Commissioner Garba Umar |
Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano,
who is about to contest for a second term by November this year, following the
earlier police report, insists that the attack has 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 built the Church. The main matter was said to be between Chief Aloysius
Ikegwuonu, a.k.a Bishop, (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”.
Some of the earliest reports even said Aloysius’ father was among those shot dead in the church. But we learnt from a reliable source that the old man was shot while in the Church and was rushed to Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital after the incident. He was badly injured and being an old man, he died the next day, August 7.
Some of the earliest reports even said Aloysius’ father was among those shot dead in the church. But we learnt from a reliable source that the old man was shot while in the Church and was rushed to Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital after the incident. He was badly injured and being an old man, he died the next day, August 7.
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| Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital where Pa Ikegwuonu died on Monday, August 7. |
But the Chairman of Ekwusigo Local Government Area (within which
Ozubulu is located), Mr Ikenna Ofodeme, dismissed this police/Obiano allegation. Hear him:
“This young man,
Aloysius Ikegwuonu, they are calling based on the police report has built more
than three churches in Ekwusigo communities. He is currently building a new one
in one of the communities. He left this country two days ago.”
“If he was the target
and he did a business transaction that resulted to this killing, those who are
pursuing him would have killed him at the football pitch. He played
inter-village match a week ago before he left the country for his base. Some
are quoting the governor of the state. The governor was briefed by the police
and whatever he said, he should not be blamed because it was security agents
that briefed him, and he must tell the people of the state what he was briefed
on.
“The shooting happened in the church. Why didn’t the people go to
his house or his father’s house? What business has shooting people in the
church got to do with business transaction between alleged drug pushers? This
is purely a terrorist attack and has nothing to do with a drug pusher’s
disagreement in South Africa with our son."
In the same vein, the traditional
ruler of Ozubulu community, Obi Fidelix Nnandi Oruche, dismissed the
police/Obiano report and maintains that those saying so want to destroy
the name of Ozubulu. “How can anybody be talking about business
transaction disagreement when people were shot and killed while worshiping in
the church? There is no relationship between shooting people in the church and
business transaction by anybody. We are not aware of such disagreement,” he
said.
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| Ikegwuonu |
Also, the President-General of
Ozubulu Town Union and Chairman of Ebubechukwuzo Foundation owned by Aloysius
Ikegwuonu, Mr Jovita Ofomata, has dismissed the allegation that Mr Aloysius
Ikegwuonu is a drug pusher. Describing Ikegwuonu as a very kind man, Ofomata
said:
“I am surprised at what people are
saying about him. He is one man you will meet, and you would like to meet him
again. It is through his foundation that he built the Catholic church where
this incident happened. That is not the only Catholic church he has built. Two
other Catholic churches, St Aloysius at Eziora Ozubulu and St Francis at Egbema
Ozubulu, were also built by him. Through this foundation, he has helped so many
people and also granted scholarships to many students in Ozubulu and beyond.
What happened on Sunday has left us in a state of confusion and up until now, I
must tell you that I am convinced that the act is a terror attack. There are so
many stories flying around which are not true. People are saying there is a
problem between Ebubechukwuzo and some other people and I can tell you
that is not true, because till now, he has not lodged any complaint that he has
a problem with anyone. So I don’t know where that information came from. People
say he is a drug lord, and that he took money belonging to another gang. So
many stories, and I can tell you that we are even confused where some of these
stories are coming from. What I can only say about this, is that we will leave
the police and other security agencies to do their work, and we urge them to do
it well, and I believe the outcome of it will help us to know what happened.”
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| Ofomata |
Already people like Ofomata are currently being questioned by
the police. (See: Ozubulu
killings: Police invite LG chairman, Ozubulu Town Union PG, Ikegwuonu’s aide).
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader, Indigenous People of Biafra, calls for a forensic examination to ascertain the
type of bullet used in the attack.
“We are asking for a forensic examination to be conducted to
ascertain the type of bullet used in the attack. It makes a mockery of the
entire security system that people can work into a town and massacre innocent
civilians and walk away. Where are the security agencies? All options should remain open because our people are not
known for gang killings. It is alien to us”, he said.
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| Kanu |
Below are comments of the above mentioned individuals on the
Ozubulu Church massacre, taken — or rather, selected
— from a report by Vanguard newspaper
of Tuesday, August 8, 2016, entitled: Ozubulu horror attack: How gunmen killed my
three relations:
We’ve
made arrests, but… — Police
Police authorities in
Abuja, on Monday, confirmed that three persons have been arrested over last
Sunday’s killing inside a church at Ozubulu, Anambra State. Force Public
Relations Officer, Moshood Jimoh, who disclosed this, said appreciable progress
was being made over the ugly development but referred our reporter to Anambra
State police command for more information on the arrests. However, when
contacted, Anambra State police spokeswoman, Assistant Superintendent of
Police, ASP, Nkiruka Nwode, said:
“Yes, we have made some
arrests over the killings but we cannot tell you the number of suspects
arrested or disclose their identities for now. You know this is a
sensitive matter and we have to tread with caution. All I can tell you is that
we are on top of the matter and we will not relent until the perpetrators of
the heinous crime are brought to book.”
In the same vein,
Vanguard reliably gathered that the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris,
may direct a special tactical squad from Force Headquarters, Abuja, to wade
into investigations over the killings. The move, according to sources,
followed insinuations that the state police command may have reached hasty
conclusion by asserting that the massacre was drug related. Vanguard learned
that the police boss has been in constant touch with Anambra State Commissioner
of Police, Garba Baba Umar, over the ugly development and has directed that
perpetrators of the crime be fished out and dealt with accordingly. The
Principal Staff Officer, Public Affairs, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,
NDLEA, Jonah Achema, told Vanguard that the whole story was still at the level
of speculation. He said:
“However, let me assure
you that we are following the story of the so-called drug deals outside the
shores of Nigeria. We are already linking up with our international
collaborators and respective countries to establish the veracity of their drug
activities. “For now, that is the level we are. We are focusing our
searchlight everywhere. It is regrettable that this measure of violence
is happening in this part of the world. ‘’We assure Nigerians that if it is
drug related, we will not spare any effort to see to the end and we will deal
decisively with anybody involved, whether high or low. It is also a call
to rekindle the drug efforts by all stakeholders in the country.”
It’s gang war, not terror attack, Obiano, Anambra
State Governor, insists.
Also, yesterday
(Monday), Governor Willie Obiano said the attack on St. Philip’s Catholic
Church, Amakwa Ozubulu was neither a terror attack nor by members of some
groups of agitators in the country. In a special broadcast in Awka, Obiano said
it was a gang war that had spilled over to the state from another African
country, assuring that it would be the last time such a thing would happen in
the state. The address read:
“With a sorrowful
heart, I stand before you today to brief you on the tragic killing of 12 people
at St Philips Catholic Church, Amakwa, Ozubulu on Sunday.
“First, I want to
assure you all that what happened in Ozubulu was a tragic dimension of a long
battle between two business partners who are from the same town. I have been
fully informed that this dangerous conflict has been going on for a while in
the country where they both live outside Nigeria before they decided to bring
the conflict home. But let me assure you that Anambra is too hot for them to
operate, going forward.
“This explanation, I
believe, has erased the fears that the incident may have been caused by either
some terrorist organizations or some members of some groups of agitators in the
country. “What happened in Ozubulu was neither a terror attack as we know it,
nor a violent action by some agitators. We are dealing with a dangerous Gang
War that has spilled over to Anambra State from another African country. But
this is the last time it will happen under my watch! “I want to assure you that
we are on top of this situation. We are completely in charge here. The people
directly and remotely involved in this crime are known to the law enforcement
agencies. But no suspect, no matter how highly placed, is above the law.
So, we have taken bold steps to bring them to book and restore the peace and
tranquillity that Anambra State has enjoyed since the past three years.”
Local Government Chairman
reacts
Chairman of Ekwusigo
Local Government, Mr. Ikenna Ofodeme, said he was compiling details of the
casualties and wondered why someone should enter the church to kill innocent
people. According to him, it is possible that God wanted to use the incident to
expose some bad people in the community. He prayed that it will be the last
time such an incident would happen in the local government. He said of the 12
people confirmed dead, 10 were females, including a baby, while two were males,
adding that 10 of the bodies had been deposited at New Haven Mortuary, Ozubulu.
He said:
“Doctors who were not
even on call, and some who were at church service came to join doctors on duty
to save the lives of the victims, as I am talking with you now, the accurate
number of people who died are 12, including 9 women, a baby girl, and two men,
and they are already at New Heaven Mortuary, Joint Hospital Ozubulu, and the
one at NAUTH Nnewi.”
Ofodeme clarified
on the alleged involvement of a prominent son of Ozubulu— Aloysius Ikegwuonu —
who is alleged to be the target of the attack, saying he could not have been
the target because he was not in the country when the incident happened.
“This young man,
Aloysius Ikegwuonu, they are calling based on the police report has built more
than three churches in Ekwusigo communities. He is currently building a new one
in one of the communities. He left this country two days ago.
“If he was the target
and he did a business transaction that resulted to this killing, those who are
pursuing him would have killed him at the football pitch. He played
inter-village match a week ago before he left the country for his base. Some
are quoting the governor of the state. The governor was briefed by the police
and whatever he said, he should not be blamed because it was security agents
that briefed him, and he must tell the people of the state what he was briefed
on.
“The shooting happened in the church. Why didn’t the people go to
his house or his father’s house? What business has shooting people in the
church got to do with business transaction between alleged drug pushers? This
is purely a terrorist attack and has nothing to do with a drug pusher’s
disagreement in South Africa with our son.”
The council chairman
said the attack may be politically motivated to give the impression that there
is no security in the state, just to rubbish Governor Obiano’s stride in
addressing security in the state.
“If it were a
misunderstanding between Mr Aloysius Ikegwuonwu and his kinsman in South
Africa, what has that got to do with innocent worshipers in the church?” he
asked.
Nnamdi
Kanu, IPOB leader, chides police for quick conclusion
Reacting to the Ozubulu
carnage, leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, called
for forensic examination of the bullets used by the gun men so as to trace the
killers. Reacting to the barbaric incident, Kanu said he suspected some foul
play and cover-up in the haste by the police to attribute the “heinous crime”
to alleged feud between two indigenes of the community based outside the
country. The IPOB leader faulted the police for their quick conclusion on the
cause of the attack or the identity of the assailants without conducting
thorough investigations, saying the police should not have quickly ruled out
terrorists from the attack without proper investigations. According to him,
there was nothing to suggest that the attack was not an act of terrorism. Kanu
noted that Ndigbo do not have the culture of carrying out mass killing for
whatever reason let alone carrying such attack in a place of worship, insisting
that it could be from terrorist act and called for thorough investigation.
“We are asking for a
forensic examination to be conducted to ascertain the type of bullet used in
the attack. It makes a mockery of the entire security system that people can
work into a town and massacre innocent civilians and walk away. Where are the
security agencies?
“All options should
remain open because our people are not known for gang killings. It is alien to
us.
“Such atrocious crime
has never ever been committed anywhere in Biafra land before. We are not known
for mass executions. It was the same thing that happened at Uzo Uwani in Enugu
State, the same scenario.
“I wonder why the narratives
coming out is that it is two brothers who are feuding in far away South Africa.
Is that possible? Does that make sense?”, Kanu queried. He lashed out at the
security agencies for the level of insecurity in the country, saying that they
only show strength when it comes to combating peaceful agitators.
Obi of
Ozubulu (traditional ruler of the community) condemns killing
Also, yesterday
(Monday), the traditional ruler of Ozubulu, Obi Fidelix Nnandi Oruche,
condemned the attack of his subjects who went to worship at St Philip's Catholic
Church, Ozubulu, describing it as callous, wicked, inhuman and cowardly, saying
the perpetrators must not go unpunished. The visibly worried and angry
traditional ruler said government and the security agencies must fish out those
behind it for punishment, adding that it was a sacrilege for anybody, no matter
the provocation, to go into a church and attack innocent worshippers who went
to pray to their God. On the alleged business disagreement involving their sons
living in South Africa that may have led to the incident, he said there was no
connection between the killings in the church and business transaction. Obi
Oruche totally dismissed the claim, adding that those saying so want to
destroy the name of Ozubulu.
“How can anybody be
talking about business transaction disagreement when people were shot and
killed while worshipping in the church? There is no relationship between
shooting people in the church and business transaction by anybody. We are not
aware of such disagreement.”
The shooting of Pa Ikegwuonu, Aloysius's father, I think, was what led some to quickly conclude that the killers were after his son (Aloysius Ikegwuonu) and his family. But if this was so, why didn't they kill the old man right there in the Church? Again, what about Ikegwuonu's wife (Aloysius' stepmother) who also came to Church together with her husband on that fateful Sunday and was, just like other worshippers, injured during the sporadic shooting but she survived?
As for me, 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. This is dirty politics, and, with all due respect, my advice to the Governor is to shut up his mouth now!
As for me, 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. This is dirty politics, and, with all due respect, my advice to the Governor is to shut up his mouth now!
The military weapons of Nigeria are in the hands of Hausa-Fulani Muslims who are predominantly terrorists and anti-Igbo. The earlier today's Igbos are informed about this and wake up from their apathetic slumber, the better.
See our first report on this matter: Anambra Catholic Church killing: Jihadists or assassins?
