Gunmen on Sunday stormed the St. Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State.
They were said to have killed no fewer than 50 worshippers out of the over 100 at the early morning mass.
An eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday that the gunmen went into the church during the 5:45am mass and identified a particular man and shot him.
He said that they later went on rampage and shot at the remaining worshippers numbering over 100.
Scores of people were killed in the church, while other critically injured worshippers died on the way to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi.
The source, however, said the priest of the church was not wounded in the incident.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Garba Umar, confirmed the incidence.
Garba added that more details would be given after investigations.
They were said to have killed no fewer than 50 worshippers out of the over 100 at the early morning mass.
An eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday that the gunmen went into the church during the 5:45am mass and identified a particular man and shot him.
He said that they later went on rampage and shot at the remaining worshippers numbering over 100.
Scores of people were killed in the church, while other critically injured worshippers died on the way to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi.
The source, however, said the priest of the church was not wounded in the incident.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Garba Umar, confirmed the incidence.
Garba added that more details would be given after investigations.
Anambra’s Governor Willie Obiano has visited the church and the Nnadi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital where over 50 doctors are battling to save lives of the injured persons.
Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress has condemned the Sunday morning attack.
The party said “blood stains at the scene of the deadly shooting at St. Philip’s Catholic Church, where an unknown gunman killed 11 persons and injured 18 others in Umuezekwe Ofufe Amakwa community of Ozubulu, Ekwusigo LGA of Anambra on Sunday is barbaric.”
The APC in a statement by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, commiserated with the Catholic Church in Nigeria as well as the government and people of Anambra State.
“The APC condemns the barbarism displayed by the callous attackers who gunned down defenceless people while they worshipped.
“The party calls on security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are promptly apprehended and brought to justice,” it said.
The party also called “on security agents in Anambra as well as other parts of the country to provide adequate security in places of worship to forestall a repeat of this unfortunate incident”.
