Ozubulu Massacre: Monarch reveals cause of Anambra church killing

Traditional of Ozubulu, Igwe Nnamdi Oruche, has disclosed how the problem that led to the crisis and death of many in the town, started.

Last Sunday, August 6, a gunman had attacked St Philip’s Catholic Church, Ozubulu in Anambra State, killing several worshipers and leaving several others badly injured.

Though the killings have been attributed to a drug baron feud according to several reports, the Ozubulu monarch has traced the history of what caused the gruesome incident

Igwe Oruche recollected that the catastrophe in his town began  roughly 10 years ago when Ozubulu Development Union, ODU, which has a branch in South Africa, wanted to elect a new president-general there.

The traditional ruler said, “This created a major disagreement over who would be their leader in that country and it eventually tore them apart.

“But the overall President General both in Ozubulu and in Diaspora, Norbert Anigbogu, intervened by inviting the two factions back home for a peaceful resolution of the problem.

“When they returned, a traditional oath was prepared for them to take in order to enthrone brotherliness among them and to further quell the rift between the factions, but most of them refused to take the oath on the basis that they are Christians.

“At that point, an alternative was made and a Catholic priest, Rev. Father Chidolue was invited to perform the Christian aspect of oath-taking, which was done and everyone appreciated it.

“But later, the conflict was rekindled by some of them who reneged on the agreement made during the oath-taking, alleging that since I, the traditional ruler, was not present during the exercise, the reconciliation was null, void and improper.”

The royal father appealed to the state and Federal Governments to help the community in tracking and arresting the killer squad. He also vowed that the people of the community would not rest until the needful is done.

Speaking with Vanguard, the monarch also said, “We have an old culture, so our traditional deities will bring them out when the rituals are done by us at the appropriate time,” Igwe Oruche.