ONE KILLED, CHURCH SET ABLAZE AS GUNMEN ATTACK WORSHIPPERS IN ANAMBRA
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At least one person has been confirmed dead while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries following an attack on a church in Lili, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State by suspected armed criminals.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday morning, was confirmed in a statement issued on Monday by the spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga.
According to the police, the church building was partially razed during the attack, with several properties within the premises also destroyed. The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, condemned the assault, describing it as “heinous and abominable.”
He said the attack targeted innocent worshippers and constituted a grave violation of community values, including the sanctity of human life, peace and freedom of worship.
The police extended their sympathies to the families of the victim and the entire Lili community, assuring residents that the perpetrators would be tracked down and brought to justice.
“No community should be subjected to such brutality. The command will not allow criminals to instill fear or destabilize the peace we are working tirelessly to maintain,” Orutugu said.
The statement added that intelligence-driven operations have been intensified in the area, with the Joint Security Team deployed and surveillance strengthened to forestall further attacks. The command noted that officers are following up on every lead and have vowed to spare no effort in apprehending those responsible.
Residents were urged to remain calm and cooperate with security operatives by providing useful information to aid ongoing investigations.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in the state, four persons were fatally wounded in a cult-related shooting at Afor Nawfia Market along the Onitsha–Awka Old Road on Sunday evening.
Police said the assailants, who reportedly arrived in a black Lexus Jeep, opened fire indiscriminately before fleeing the scene. The identities of the attackers and the vehicle’s registration number are yet to be established.
The police disclosed that operatives of the Special Anti-Cult Squad, Enugwu-Ukwu, had earlier arrested two suspects based on credible intelligence of a planned gang clash and recovered a firearm from them. The suspects are said to be cooperating with investigators to prevent further violence in Awka and its environs.
Although the attackers escaped before police operatives arrived at the market, authorities said preliminary information obtained at the scene has provided useful leads, and a manhunt for the perpetrators is currently underway.
The Anambra State Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating cultism and violent crime across the state, assuring the public that updates will be provided as investigations continue.
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