Police Blame Two S’African Prisoners for Ozubulu Church Massacre

•  Three suspects to appear in court over incident

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The police in Anambra State have said investigation into the killing of worshipers in St. Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State last August, which left 18 people dead and many others injured has been traced to two South African prisoners.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Garba Umar, who disclosed this to journalists at the state police command wednesday gave the names of the suspects as Prince Charles Obi, a.k.a Gozila and Dickson Nwodi a.k.a Afam.
He said the command has involved the Interpol with the hope of extraditing the suspects to Nigeria to face criminal charges.

Umar who read out a statement to journalists, stated that the suspects had earlier sent one Quintus Anayo alias Obasanjo who is also based in South Africa to Ozubulu to see the elders of the town to alert them of an impending attack.

He said: “The two indigenes from Nnobi and Oba towns respectively had vowed that there will be attacks if their financial demands for undisclosed reasons made on certain persons were not met.

“The command wishes to state categorically: that we will ensure that all identified perpetrators are brought to book. On that strength, three of the suspects in custody are to be arraigned within this week on charges of conspiracy and murder with other suspects at large.

“That the Interpol is already involved in the investigation and possible extradition of the suspects based in South Africa, who claimed responsibility for the attack on the church.”

Umar assured the public that no one direct or indirectly linked in the senseless killing would be left off the hook.

On the involvement of Aloysius Ikegwuonu, a.k.a Bishop, who was earlier reported to be a South African drug lord from the community, alleged to have unfinished business with the attackers, the commissioner said, “Bishop is just a victim. If they had seen him that day, they would have killed him.”