Crime
Owo Church killings: 15-yr-old Enugu boy soiled self with blood to deceive killers
The attack on worshipers last Sunday in Owo, Ondo state took every one by surprise. No one saw it coming, although there had been clashes with herdsmen following the enactment of a law banning open grazing by the state government. But the clashes happened in the forest and not in the town.
For many families, in Owo, last Sunday’s attack in broad daylight will remain a sad chapter of their lives as their loved ones were killed. Some of the families have been expressing their pains and sorrow.
The younger brother of one of the victims of the gunmen attack, Christopher Nwanyi, has given a heart wrenching account of the tragedy that befell their family inside the church last Sunday.
The 45-year-old timber dealer in Owo said he would forever live with the trauma of the death of his 55-year-old elder brother and his niece whose lives were brutally cut short last Sunday during the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo, Ondo state. He gave vivid details of the ugly incident.
His account
“I was not in that church on the day of the tragic incident because I was in another parish. My elder brother and his family attended the church where the attack took place. He went with his son but his wife didn’t go to church that day. She said she had pains on her feet and wouldn’t be able to attend.
“Their 15-year- old son, Victor, who is in SS1, however miraculously survived the attack. When the gunmen started shooting inside the church, he laid down flat on the ground. He decided to lie in a pool of blood so that if the attackers saw him they would think he had already been shot. That was how he laid down until the attackers finished and left.
“By the time he stood up, he discovered that his father had been shot. He then began to look for his sister and and at the same time seeking help for his wounded father because he was still talking but gave signs of giving up. When help eventually came and he was taken to Federal Medical Center, FMC, he was however rejected for lack of space.
“They then rushed him to St. Loius hospital which is also a Catholic hospital in Owo. That was when they discovered he was dead. I didn’t know what was happening as I was searching for them, before I heard that his father had died.
“I asked about the children and I was directed to go and check at the mortuary. As I was going towards the mortuary, I saw the son on a bike on his way to the mortuary and when I asked after his father, he told me he was dead. I asked after his sister and he showed me her corpse which he was taking to the mortuary.
“Immediately I started crying, sympathisers gathered, they carried the corpse from him and took it to the mortuary. And we started consoling him, that at the age of 15 years he could summon the courage to carry the corpse of his sister. The sister was eleven years old.
“The event is heartbreaking, I’m in pains. We were confused on what to do to ensure that the deceased were properly documented because the day we took the corpses from the hospital to the mortuary, all the dead bodies were on the floor. After they had embalmed the bodies, I later gave them the details of my late brother and his daughter.
“The deceased girl was in primary six, her father, who was my elder brother was the Bursar at Technical College, Owo. He was 57 years old. I am a wine seller, I am a graduate but I am self employed. My late brother was born in Owo. I was born here but I didn’t school here. I graduated from University of Jos in 1996. My father and mother are dead, I am the only son in my family now, my other siblings are women, I have six sisters.
Any premonition of the sad incident ?
We had no premonition about the incident before it happened. My late brother was a practicing Christian, most of the time he was the one who made the announcement during the Sunday service at the altar, it was while he was coming down from the altar that the attackers started shooting and was hit on his chest.
“Since the incident, his wife has been crying, threatening to take her life. I learnt her blood pressure has risen beyond normal. His wife’s name is Florence, we are from Amy in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State.
“The entire incident is devastating because, in my town, whenever we were having any engagement, it was my brother who would represent our village as the eldest. But now the mantle of leadership has fallen on me at this age. That is the challenge. And how the wife will be able to cope with the teenage son is the problem. I have my own children also, I am 49 years old, I have four boys.
The location of the Church is inside the town. It is the first Catholic Church in Owo, it is a big Church like a cathedral. So, the question is, how did they enter the church and they started shooting without anyone coming to rescue anybody till they left.
Any previous attack or threat?
The state government passed the law on ban on open grazing. Since then, there have been clashes which usually happened in the bush not in the town.
Kelechi Ugwummadu is a timber dealer in Owo. He lost his mother and a niece during the attack. His account: “My daddy has been down; I was just trying to console him. He said he can’t forget my mother because my mother saved his life twice. When they were young, he was sick and thought he would die. It was my mom that helped him.
“I was born in Akure. My father came to Owo after the war. We were born and bred in Owo, it was only higher institution that took us out of Owo in Ondo.
“For now, most of the dead bodies are yet to be released to their families. My nephew who is two years old sustained injuries, he had bullet wounds on his back. He is the younger brother to Ekene, my niece that was killed with my mother. Yesterday, I saw the video of how my mother and my four-year-old nephew were murdered. It is uncalled for. Look at my mother, we were preparing for her 70th birthday next month.
“I am the first son, but I have an elder sister. I was not in the Church when the attack occurred.
“I was at a meeting after the church service in Akure when my brother called me to say that his wife called to say that some gun men came to St. Francis Catholic church, Owo and that they killed Mama, and our nephew. Immediately I left for Owo and on getting there, I went straight to FMC and I saw how my deceased nephew.
How some worshippers escaped
“The way Catholic Churches are built is that you have the pew on the left and on the right. Those on the left pew didn’t suffer much casualties unlike those on the right which recorded more casualties. Most of the people who escaped sat at the left side in the church.
“The people who attacked the church came from the entrance that faced the main road. The few people that escaped passed the other entrance to the toilet.
Everyone in the family will miss the small boy, he was very intelligent and smart. I cried so much yesterday.
“My mom was an easy going woman who could not hide anything from anyone. Anytime you asked her for anything, unless she didn’t have, she would always give. She was the best woman. She was not a troublesome person. When I saw her corpse at they mortuary yesterday, I cried bitterly.”
Vanguard News
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Anambra Police Command has debunked the allegation that it’s officers and men had hand in the mysterious death of one Mr Paul Onwualu at Npkor in Idemili North local government area.
The Police which confirmed the arrest of the suspect however explained that preliminary investigations has so far shown that there complications in the health status of the deceased leading to his demise .
SP Tochukwu Ikenga ,who is the Public Relations Officer of the Command stated in a release that ;
“The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform the public that it has commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate death of the late Mr Paul Onwualu in Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State”
“Preliminary information available to the Command reveals that the officers allegedly involved in the arrest before the sudden complication of the deceased’s health, which later led to his death, have been identified, but are not operatives attached to the Anambra State Police Command”
“The Command assures Ndi Anambra and members of the public that the matter is being handled with the seriousness it deserves to ascertain the facts surrounding the unfortunate incident”
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu fwc mnips PhD, urges residents to remain calm and allow the ongoing investigation to run its course, while reaffirming the Command’s commitment to transparency, professionalism, and the protection of lives and property.” he said.
Neighbours reported that the event allegedly occurred around 3pm on Sunday, noting that the late Miss Amanda had been a victim of constant and ruthless maltreatment at the hands of her stepmother.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Enugu State, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, has expressed the state government’s anger over the incident, saying it would not relent until justice is done.
“It is on record that the Governor Peter Mbah Administration has zero tolerance for any form of child abuse, let alone child homicide. So, we swung into action on learning about this tragedy to ensure that the suspect was arrested.
“But it doesn’t end there. We will be pressing for thorough and expedited investigation to ensure that justice is not just done, but done really fast.
“Nobody should take another’s life and certainly not the life of any child in Enugu State. We condemn it in totality,” she stated.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
As suspected fake native doctors continue to face the long arm of the law in Anambra State, the government has now commenced a crackdown on alleged fake pastors who preach salvation without the gospel.
Already, scores of suspected fake pastors are reportedly in custody, with some said to have confessed to deceiving unsuspecting members of the public.
Governor Charles Soludo disclosed this during this year’s All Knights Day celebration held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral.
In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Aburime, the governor said:
“The Governor also revealed an ongoing crackdown on fake pastors who exploit the vulnerable by preaching a gospel of ‘salvation without the cross,’ confirming that several are already in custody and confessing.”
He emphasized that a “New Anambra” is emerging and must be rid of deception and criminality, while reinforcing the church’s teaching that hard work remains the pathway to success.
The statement further read:
“In a firm demonstration of fiscal discipline, Governor Soludo granted a request from the Knights to support their charity visits to orphanages but declined a request for public funds to sew uniforms, stating he would not deploy state resources for private institutional regalia.”
The governor also urged the Knights to remain “the light of the world and the salt of the earth” by living according to principles rather than titles.
The event featured a Pontifical Mass celebrated by the Catholic Bishop of Awka, Paulinus Ezeokafor, while the homily was delivered by the Diocesan Secretary, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Iheanacho.
In his sermon, Iheanacho reflected on the work of the Holy Spirit, describing knighthood as a process of “sober reflection, stock-taking, and reckoning” guided by strict tenets and discipline.
He reminded the Knights that true love for Christ is demonstrated through obedience to His commandments, discipline, humility, and courage.
The cleric also cautioned against elitist isolation, urging the Knights to remain connected with the people and preserve their human face and prophetic voice within the community.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The Violent Crime Response Unit of the Anambra State Police Command has uncovered and destroyed an armoury belonging to suspected separatist gunmen at Owerre-Ezukala in Orumba South Local Government Area.
The operation, led by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Orebe Chidubem Matthew, followed intelligence obtained from a member of the gang currently in police custody.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the police disclosed that the camp had previously been dislodged by a Joint Task Force on security operations. However, some members of the gang who escaped during the earlier raid reportedly regrouped and attempted to resume operations.
According to the statement, items recovered from the armoury include one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with about 2,000 rounds of live chain ammunition, two fabricated rocket launchers with 25 propellers, 10 locally-made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), one locally-made Beretta pistol, two pump-action guns, three hand grenades, 10 rounds of K2 live ammunition, one gas cylinder, and one black Ecolac box.
“Recall that the camp was earlier destroyed by a Joint Security Team. Before the confession by the suspect in custody, intelligence had been received over time on how some escaped gang members were attempting to regroup. However, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit resisted and dismantled the camp following a gun duel with the unrepentant members,” the statement read.
The police further stated that some of the armed suspects fled the scene with varying degrees of bullet injuries sustained during the exchange of gunfire.
Further investigations revealed that the suspect in custody confessed to involvement in several violent attacks across Anambra State, including attacks on police facilities, the killing of security personnel comprising police, military, and civil defence officers, attacks on government facilities, and the murder of security operatives on stop-and-search duties on various roads in the state.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, noted that with the establishment of the Violent Crime Response Unit, operatives of the command are now better positioned and more motivated to sustain offensive operations against criminal elements threatening the peace and security of the state.
The Enugu State House of Assembly has ordered the immediate suspension of the salary of Dr. Kate Okolo, a staff member of the Enugu State College of Education, over her alleged involvement in a controversial land deal.
The directive was issued on Tuesday in Enugu by the Chairman of the House Special Committee on Land Conflicts, Mr. Okey Mbah, as part of an ongoing investigation into a decade-long land fraud.
Mbah emphasized that the suspension is not a witch-hunt but a clear signal that the era of impunity in land administration in the state is over.
The committee, currently probing petitions from staff of the institution and members of the public, accused key figures in the Women in College of Education Organisation (WICE) of engaging in land racketeering and fraudulent sales.
According to petitioners, the scheme—introduced between 2009 and 2011 under the leadership of the late Mrs. Ugoma Ndubisi and Dr. Okolo—encouraged individuals to market plots of land known as “WICE Land” to colleagues, friends, and family members.
One victim, who pleaded anonymity, told lawmakers they invested in the scheme because it was presented as a credible internal arrangement.
“We paid in full and have receipts, but for over 13 years, we have not been allocated any land,” the petitioner said.
Testimonies further revealed that the situation worsened following the death of Mrs. Ndubisi, with allegations that Dr. Okolo altered the original terms of the transactions.
“She changed the name from Ukano to Ukano Bold, increased the prices, reduced plot sizes, and claimed that many of us did not pay.
“We are now being asked to pay again for land we already purchased.
“All we want is either our land or our money back,” another petitioner stated.
In response, Mbah assured the petitioners that the Assembly remains committed to ensuring justice.
“We have listened to your grievances, and this committee will see this matter through to a logical conclusion.
“No one found culpable will be shielded,” he said.
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