Gunmen on Sunday struck at the Assemblies of God Church on the Oguta
road Onitsha, Anambra State killing one policeman and a civilian.
This is coming seven days after gunmen attacked St Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu and killed no fewer than 13 persons and injured 27.
An
eyewitness account told PUNCH that the gunmen had momentarily stopped
at the Assemblies of God Church, but on sighting some policemen at the
church, opened fire on them.
“When the firing became too hot, the policemen abandoned their patrol vehicle and ran away for safety.
“The gunmen moved to their patrol van and took a gun belonging to the policeman they killed.
“I saw two of the gunmen but I can’t say how many they are in number.
Another eyewitness said,
“Gunmen
on Okada (motorcycle) shot a policeman and collected his rifle. They
also shot dead an Okada man while escaping, and the passenger he was
carrying was injured. The policeman was the one armed among his
colleagues; they were providing security while church service was going
on at Assemblies of God Church, Oguta road Onitsha.
The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr Garba Umar confirmed the incident to journalists.
He said it was not an attack on the church, adding
“My
men were on patrol near the church when they were attacked by some
gunmen. It was not an attack on the church, in the real sense of it”.
The commissioner confirmed that the hoodlums took away a rifle belonging to the slain cop.
The
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige had on Saturday said
the Federal Government would work out modalities on how to secure places
of worship in the country.
Leading a federal government
delegation to commiserate with the people of Anambra State on the
Ozu