Ozubulu Massacre: Mass resumes at St. Philips Catholic Church with “Bishop” in attendance

One week after the Ozubulu massacre at St. Philips Catholic church, Ozubulu, Anambra State, normal church masses were in the church.

The church was sealed after the Aug. 6 massacre which resulted in the death of 13 people, with 18 others sustaining various degrees of injury.

NAN correspondent who attended the church service disclosed that initially there was a low turn-out of parishioners but the attendance later picked up in the course of the mass.

Naija News gathered that the state government officials led by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, attended.

Also, present at the Mass was Aloysius Ikegwuonu, popularly called ‘Bishop” and one of the chieftains of the village, who was alleged to have been the target of the Aug 6 attack.

Ikegwuonu, who lost his father in the attack, refused to talk to newsmen, but one of his aides said his principal would talk at appropriate time.

Recall that Ikwegwuonu had earlier denied claims of being a drug barn.

Security operatives were seen in and around the church wielding arms.

In his homily, Rev. Fr. Jude Onwuaso, the Parish Priest, encouraged parishioners not to be deterred by Aug 6 attack, adding that “God is still on the throne”.

Ownuaso said that the slain parishioners were at the right hand of the Almighty.

Some Parishioners told NAN that many of them were yet to overcome the shock of the invasion.

Mr Jude Okoye, a parishioner, said he forced himself to attend church service because of his deep religious understanding that a Christian believer must experience persecution to make to heaven.

Recall that delegation of the federal government led by Minister Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, visited the place on Saturday Aug.12 to condole with the state.