Anambra Church Killings: Death toll rises to 11 as police links attack to community members abroad

Umar said that the Anambra police command had invited some suspects who would be useful to the investigation.

The Anambra State police has linked the Anambra Church killings to a feud between members of the community living outside Nigeria.

The news of the development is coming just as the Commissioner of Police, Garba Umar informed that the death toll in the attack on worshippers has increased to 11 and 18 injured.

Umar, who spoke at a news conference in Awka on Sunday, August 6, 2017, ruled out the possibility of a terror attack saying that the command had invited some suspects who would be useful to the investigation.

In his words: “At about 6.30 a.m. today, Aug. 6, I got a distress call that gunmen had invaded and shot at worshippers at St. Philips Catholic Church, Umuezekwe, Ofufe, Amakwa Village in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Located Government Area.

“As a result, I, the Commissioner of Police, led my operatives immediately to the scene to rescue worshippers.

“The command, under my watch, will leave no stone unturned in locating and prosecuting those behind the massacre of innocent worshippers.

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“The intelligence report and preliminary investigation showed that the incident was as a result of a feud between two individuals from the same community living outside Nigeria.

“One of the individuals built the church where the shooting occurred; it is definitely not a terrorist attack in the mould of Boko Haram or Fulani herdsmen attack.

“The command will brief the public after investigation is concluded; I commiserate with all those who lost their loved ones in this unfortunate incident.

“I also encourage `ndi’ Anambra to be vigilant and to promptly report suspicious movements or strange observation of persons and actions in their localities to the security agencies,” Mr. Umar said.

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