Pope Francis has said he is "deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury following the violent attack" after at least 11 people were killed and 18 wounded in an attack in a Catholic church in southeastern Nigeria on Sunday (6 August).
The attack happened in St Philip’s Church in Ozubulu early in the morning, said Garba Umar, head of police in Anambra state.
There are conflicting reports as to whether the attack was carried out by a lone-gunmen or a group of attackers.
Parish priest Jude Onwuaso said that a "boy or man" entered the church and started shooting:
"After the first round, there was second round and I guess it was during the second round that people were shot dead. When I came back I discovered that some of my parishioners were dead, about five or six I saw shot dead bleeding.
"A lot of people were injured, some were shot in the stomach, some were shot in the head and some were shot in the hand."
Police have said the attack was the result of a feud between members of the local community. They say a group of attackers were believed to have been trying to kill a local man, who was not identified by the authorities.
"The gunmen came thinking that their target was in the church but incidentally he was not," Umar said, adding that the violence may be linked to drug-trafficking.
No arrests have been made, he said.
The pope extended "heartfelt condolences" to the faithful of the diocese, especially "the families of the deceased and all those affected by this tragedy," read a message signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, and dated 7 August.
Nigeria's southeast is predominantly Christian and the attack is a rare act of violence at a church.
Nigeria’s ailing president Muhammadu Buhari, who is on medical leave in London, described the attack as “an appalling crime against humanity and unspeakable sacrilege.”
In a statement released by the presidency after the attack, Buhari called on Nigerians to unite and fight against “evil men”.
“There was no justification whatsoever to target Church worshippers and kill them in cold blood,” he said.
Nigeria is wracked by insecurity. Islamist group Boko Haram – who are not believed to be behind the attack – have burnt hundreds of churches in the north-east of the country and killed more than 20,000 people since 2009, sparking one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.
PICTURE: Nigerians look at blood and clothing at the scene of a deadly shooting by unknown gunmen 6 August at St. Philip's Catholic Church in Ozubulu.
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