According to him, ‘’The governor was briefed by the police and whatever he said, he should not be blamed because it was security agents that briefed him, and he must tell the people of the state what he was briefed on. “The shooting happened in the church.
Why didn’t the people go to his house or his father’s house? What business has shooting people in the church got to do with business transaction between alleged drug pushers?
‘’This is purely a terrorist attack and nothing to do with a drug pusher’s disagreement in South Africa with our son.”
He said it is possible that God wanted to use the incident to expose some bad people in the community and prayed that it will be the last time such an incident would happen in the local government.
He said of the 12 people confirmed dead, 10 were females, including a baby, while two were males, adding that 10 of the bodies had been deposited at New Haven Mortuary, Ozubulu.
“Doctors who were not even on call, and some who were at church service came to join doctors on duty to save the lives of the victims, as I am talking with you now, the accurate number of people who died are 12, including 9 women, a baby girl, and two men, and they are already at New Heaven Mortuary, Joint Hospital Ozubulu, and the one at NAUTH Nnewi.” Said he.
Ofodeme clarified on the alleged involvement of a prominent son of Ozubulu who is alleged to be the target of the attack, saying he could not have been the target because he was not in the country when the incident happened.
“This young man, Aloysius Ikegwuonu, they are calling based on the police report has built more than three churches in Ekwusigo communities. He is currently building a new one in one of the communities. He left this country two days ago.
“If he was the target and he did a business transaction that resulted to this killing, those who are pursuing him would have killed him at the football pitch. He played inter-village match a week ago before he left the country for his base. Some are quoting the governor of the state.
The council chairman said the attack may be politically motivated to give the impression that there is no security in the state, just to rubbish Governor Obiano’s stride in addressing security in the state.
“If it were a misunderstanding between Mr Aloysius Ikegwuonwu and his kinsman in South Africa, what has that got to do with innocent worshipers in the church,” he asked.
The state commissioner of police, Mr. Garba Umar, said, yesterday, that some arrests had been made, although he declined to say the number of people so far arrested. “We don’t want to give figures now so as not to jeopardize the ongoing investigation,’’ the CP said in an interview. Other victims react Similarly, Charles Justice, who brought his wounded friends to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital in Nnewi, said the incident happened after the homily at 6 a.m. Mass. “Those who died are mostly children and the elderly, I know about three children who were below five years that died in the shooting,” said Justice.