The wife of an Anglican Church pastor has been reportedly killed after gunmen attacked Saint Andrews Church in Isiokwe community in Anambra State in south east Nigeria.
Isiokwe is located in Lilu town under Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.
Residents said the attack occurred in the early hours of Sunday. One of the residents stated that the gunmen appeared to have targeted the pastor, identified as Venerable Obiese.
According to the resident, the pastor managed to escape the attack, but his wife was shot dead by the assailants. The gunmen were also said to have set his house and vehicles on fire. Church vehicles and other properties were equally destroyed during the assault.
Videos recorded shortly after the incident showed scenes of destruction following the attack.
The Anambra State Police Command confirmed the attack on the church and the killing of the pastor’s wife. The police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, said in a statement on Monday that several other individuals were injured during the incident.
Ikenga added that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ikioye Orutugu, strongly condemned the attack. The commissioner described the incident as a heinous act against innocent worshippers and an affront to peace, the sanctity of life and freedom of worship.
He expressed sympathy with the families of the victims and the affected community and assured residents that the attackers would be brought to justice. According to him, the police have intensified intelligence driven operations, deployed joint security teams and strengthened surveillance across the area.
Security challenges have continued to worsen in Anambra State, as seen in other parts of the south east. However, observers note that direct attacks on churches are rare in the region, where previous incidents often targeted security personnel, government officials and public facilities.
Hundreds of people have been killed or abducted in similar attacks across the region, with many others injured.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly accused the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra of being behind much of the violence in the south east. The group has consistently denied responsibility.
The Indigenous People of Biafra campaign for an independent Biafra state carved out of the south east and parts of the south south of Nigeria. Its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was recently convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The latest attack has renewed concerns over safety and religious worship in the region.
