Gunmen Kill Anglican Priest’s Wife, Raze Church Buildings, Vehicles in Anambra Town

By Praise Chinecherem

Wife of an Anglican clergyman was on Sunday killed by gunmen following an attack on a church at Lilu Town in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state.

The gunmen also set ablaze the parsonage as well as two vehicles said to belong to the priest and security agencies.

AnambraDaily gathered that the hoodlums stormed the church premises in the morning, shot sporadically and proceeded to set the church building and other properties ablaze. The attack also left some persons with various degrees of injuries.

Confirming the incident, Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu described the act as heinous and abominable, not only assault on the community but grave affront to shared values of peace, sanctity of life and freedom of worship.

Orutugu, in a statement signed by Police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga sympathized with deceased and victims’ families as well as entire community, saying efforts were on to hunt down the perpetrators.

He said, “The Commissioner of Police Anambra State Police Command CP Ikioye Orutugu condemns in the strongest terms the attack in the morning of December 7, 2025, carried out by armed criminals which resulted in the death of one person confirmed with serious injuries inflicted on a few others, including the church building partially burnt, and other properties destroyed at a church premises in Lilu, Ihiala Local Government Area.

“The CP States that this heinous and abominable act, committed against innocent worshippers, is not only an assault on the community but a grave affront to our shared values of peace, sanctity of life, and freedom of worship.

“The Command extends its deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and to the entire Lilu community and assures the public that the Police shall relentlessly hunt down the perpetrators of this crime.

“The CP notes that no community should be subjected to such brutality as the command will not allow criminals to instill fear or destabilize the peace we are working tirelessly to maintain.

“In view of the above, the Command has already intensified intelligence-driven operations, deployed the Joint Security Team, and strengthened surveillance across the area.

“The Operatives are following every lead as no resource will be spared in ensuring that those responsible are apprehended and made to face the full weight of the law.

“The Command urges residents to remain calm and cooperate with the Joint Security team by providing useful information that can assist ongoing investigations for justice to be served.

“The Command remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting lives and property across Ihiala and the entire state.”