A PRESIDENTIAL DELEGATION HAS VISITED ANAMBRA STATE OVER THE RECENT KILLINGS AT SAINT PHILIP CATHOLIC OZUBULU IN EKWUSIGO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA.
Led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, the delegation paid a visit to the Catholic Bishop of Nnwei Diocese, the Most Hilary Okeke.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Dr. Ngige described the incident as sacrilegious.
He explained that the Federal Government had promised to look into the issue of security in churches and would put measures in place to forestall future occurrence.
Responding, the Most Reverend Hilary Okeke thanked Federal Government for the concern shown in the unfortunate incident and described President Muhammadu Buhari led administration as a responsible government.
Other members of the entourage were Ministers of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole; Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of State for Environment, Mallam UsmanJibril and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka.
The visit followed a directive by the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo for the five-man delegation to condole with government and people of Anambra over the August 6, horrificattack on worshippers in the state.
No fewer than 13 worshippers were killed and some others injured when a gunman invaded the St. Philips Catholic Church in Ofufe-Amakwa, Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of the state.
Police authorities have since launched investigation into the cause of the incident with a view to fishing out and prosecuting the perpetrators but preliminary investigation as announced by the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, Mr. Garbar Umar indicated that it was as a result of drug cartel quarrel between two natives of Ozubulu residing overseas.
Although some arrests had been made in connection with the incident, the Police had refused to reveal identities of those arrested citing security reasons.
Since the incident, there have been accusations and counter accusations on those that allegedly master minded the act.
However, the Chairman of a Foundation owned by the alleged prime target in the Churchattack, Mr. Jovita Chukwuemeka, debunked the insinuations making the rounds that his principal, Mr. Aloysius Nnamdi Ikegwuonu, alias Bishop, is a drug baron.
At a news conference in Awka, Mr. Chukwuemeka claimed that his principal, Alyousius ikegwuonu was genuine businessman involved in real estates in South Africa.
He warned that he would take legal action against any media organisation that would further link his principal to the issue, while demanding retraction of such already published media report indicting Ikegwuonu.
Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Heaching Hospital, Professor Anthony Igwegbe says 21 injured during the Ozubulu shooting are recuperating fast since they were brought to the hospital.
Professor Igwegbe however called on the federal government to come to their aid by providing logistics and hospital equipment to enable them meet-up with the medical needs of the patients.
The CMD made the call when Radio Nigeria visited the hospital to ascertain the health condition of some of the victims of the saint Philips Catholic Church shooting incident which left many dead and several others injured.
KEVIN EKEDIEGWU AND UCHE NDEKE