A 70 year-old man, Kenneth Emekwasianya, his wife, Grace, 56 and
daughter, Chioma, 36 were killed by unknown gunman who invaded the
Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Azia in Ihiala Local Government Area of
Anambra state while the mid-week service was going on.
The fourth person, Emeka Ntukokwu, 42, a secondary school teacher
sustained serious injury in the unexpected tragedy that took place in
the church on Feb.3, 2021.
Kenneth was a businessman based in Azia, Grace, a headmistress at Ubom
Community Primary School, Azia, while Chioma was a post graduate student
at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University in Anambra State.
It was gathered that a masked gunman came with a motorcycle, popularly
called Okada, to the church, walked inside and rained bullets on the
affected persons after collecting the keys of Mercedes C Class car from
Kenneth.
An eye witness under condition of anonymity said that even though the
gunman came alone, his cohorts were apparently waiting nearby and they
sped off with victim’s car.
The car, which developed gear problem, was abandoned at Okija, a
neighbouring town to Azia.
It was also learnt that vigilante men in Azia spotted the abandoned car
and alerted the police.
It was gathered that the perpetrators of the heinous act left a note,
stating that Kenneth was killed because he collected the money the Niger
Delta Power Holding Company paid to the community as compensation for
destruction of economic tree and other structures while the company
implemented the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) in Azia.
Part of the note read: “Keep on running but you cannot hide all the
time. You took our money.”
It was gathered that the police think that the note was just a
diversionary tactic on the part of the assailants.
Meanwhile, the Area Command of the Nigerian Police Force in Ihiala,
Anambra State, swung into action immediately the incident was reported
on Wednesday to fish out the culprits.
Also, on Thursday, the outgoing commissioner of police, John Abang,
sent reinforcement from the Anambra Police Command to Ihiala to
investigate the incident.