TheCable

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has approved a delegation comprising five ministers, to visit and condole with the government and people of Anambra over the attack on worshippers in a Catholic church in the state.

Laolu Akande, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, confirmed the development in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday.

No fewer than 13 worshippers were killed and 20 others injured when a gunman invaded the St. Philips Catholic Church in Ofufe-Amakwa, Ozubulu, Ekwusigo local government area of the state.

According to the presidential aide, the delegation is made up of  Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment;  Isaac Adewole, minister of health; Geoffrey Onyeama, minister of foreign affairs; Usman Jibril, minister of state for environment; and Anthony Anwuka, minister of state for education.

Akande stated that during the visit, the delegation would present a condolence letter from the acting president on behalf of the government and people of Nigeria to governor Willie Obiano.

He said: “In the letter, Prof. Osinbajo extends deep commiserations to the families, friends of the victims and the Ozubulu community on the death of their sons and daughters and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured still in the hospital.

“The acting President condemned in very strong terms the atrocious and dastardly act which has brought sorrow to many innocent families and, has rightly provoked widespread condemnation.”

He said the acting president further noted that “such barbaric act constitutes an affront to our common humanity, and challenges, but will not overwhelm our collective resolve to rid our communities of all forms of violent crimes and criminality.”.

Osinbajo said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration would remain undeterred and would continually commit to deploying all available resources towards ensuring adequate security of lives and property in Anambra and across the country.

The acting president said he had instructed law enforcement agencies to bring perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice without any delay.

He said he would remain engaged with Obiano, the police authorities and other security agencies to ensure that “the lives and property of citizens of Anambra and all Nigerians are well protected anywhere they may live.”.