by ‘Jola Sotubo
The Oba-Ofemmili community in Awka-North Local Government Area of Anambra State was thrown into pandemonium yesterday when suspected cultists went on a church-destroying rampage.
The assailants attacked Christians in their worship places and were brandishing guns and machetes with which they shot and inflicted injuries on their victims.
According to reports, the attackers went around looting and burning churches in the community. Some of the churches burnt include Assemblies of God Church, Grace of God Church, Deeper Life Bible Church, Winners Church, Christ Holy Church, St. Paul’s Catholic Church and another Pentecostal church.
It was gathered that trouble started in the community over disagreement between the Christians and the idol worshippers on the cultural night masquerade, a local fetish cult opposed by Christians in the area.
A victim of the incident, who gave his name as Sunday Aliuba, said they were in the church when the miscreants stormed their church, armed with guns and machetes. He said they swooped on the congregation and inflicted machete wounds on them, causing stampede as people struggled to escape from the church.
When contacted, the priest of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, whose parish church was razed, Rev. Pat. Odinanwa, said series of efforts made to ensure peace in the community between the church and the community failed.
He said the pagans nursed pathological hatred for Christians in the community. According to him, there were agreements reached between the church and the community, but the pagans sought all avenues to stop Christians from worshipping God in the community.
According to him, over 50 persons sustained gunshot and machete wounds, while seven churches were burnt by the irate youths. He said Christians in the area had been living in fear, as the youths threatened further attack today.