Two people killed in an Anambra church attack as gunmen strike St Andrews Anglican Church in Lilu, burning property and sparking fear.

Two people, including the wife of a priest, were killed when armed assailants launched a violent attack on St Andrews Anglican Church in the Isiokwe area of Lilu community, Ihiala Local Government Area.

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The attackers also burnt vehicles, destroyed parts of the church building and razed the cleric’s residence during the early-morning assault.

When visited on Monday, the church premises appeared deserted. Scattered belongings and ash-covered rubble surrounded the compound, reflecting the scale of destruction.

Witnesses told PUNCH Online that the attack, which occurred as worshippers prepared for Sunday service, caused widespread panic and abruptly halted all church activities.

Residents said the gunmen stormed the grounds firing weapons before setting multiple properties ablaze. One eyewitness described the incident as a “brutal and wicked act” carried out without warning. Several worshippers sustained injuries, and the priest’s house was burnt to its foundations.

Spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, Superintendent Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the attack on Monday. Ikenga said the Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, had condemned the incident in the strongest terms and ordered intensified intelligence-driven operations across Ihiala and surrounding communities.

According to Ikenga, the assault represented a grave affront to the state’s commitment to peace and freedom of worship.

He said joint security teams had been deployed and surveillance strengthened, with officers following all available leads to apprehend the perpetrators.

Ikenga urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with investigators, adding that no resource would be spared in ensuring the attackers faced the full weight of the law.

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Lilu, a border town between Anambra and Imo states, has faced persistent security threats in recent months, with residents repeatedly calling for more decisive action to curb the activities of armed groups.