12 killed in Lone wolf attack at Catholic church in Nigeria

Abuja [Nigeria], August 6 (ANI):A gunman killed 12 worshippers and injured several in an early morning attack on Sunday at St. Philip Catholic Church, Ozubulu in Anambra state in south-eastern Nigeria.

The police in Anambra state confirmed that only one gunman killed eight worshippers and injured 18 others in the attack.

Commissioner of Police Garba Umar said the attack was carried out by a lone wolf gunman, who is an indigene of the area, local media reported.

"The man after shooting at his targeted victims still went on a shooting spree, killing and wounding other worshippers,'' he said.

Umar told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka that the remains of the deceased had been deposited at Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi.

"The man after shooting at his targeted victims still went on a shooting spree, killing and wounding other worshippers,'' he said. The commissioner said information available to police showed that the attacker was speaking undiluted Igbo Language at the time he was firing at worshippers.

Describing the act as "sacrilegious", the commissioner of police said it was wrong for the perpetrators of the act to extend their quarrel into the church.

Boko Haram, a Nigerian militant group, has continued to attack soft targets in the country's northeast region.The Boko Haram insurgency has caused about 100,000 deaths since 2009 despite the insurgents losing most of their occupied territory they once controlled.(ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI