Human rights lawyer, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has denounced the deadly attack on St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Isiokwe, Lilu community of Anambra State, calling it a barbaric assault on faith, humanity, and the sanctity of worship.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, Ejiofor said churches—revered sanctuaries of reflection, communion, and spiritual refuge—must never be violated by violence. He insisted that worshippers in Anambra and across Nigeria deserve uncompromised protection.
“There are few spaces on earth held in such solemn reverence as the Church of God,” he said. “It is not just a structure; it is a universal sanctuary where the faithful seek strength, forgiveness, and fellowship.”
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, left two worshippers dead, including the wife of a cleric, whose partially unclothed body was discovered inside the church—an act that has triggered deep outrage within the community. Eyewitnesses said the armed men stormed the church as worshippers prepared for service, unleashing terror and leaving several others hospitalised. Vehicles worth millions of naira were also burnt.
Ejiofor described the perpetrators as “men devoid of humanity and fear of God,” accusing them of turning a sacred Sunday gathering into “a grotesque theatre of horror.” He emphasised that a place meant for peace and prayer must never become a battleground.
“This is more than violence or criminality,” he stated. “It is a sacrilege—an unpardonable assault on our collective conscience.”
While acknowledging that security agencies had launched investigations, Ejiofor expressed frustration over the slow pace that often characterises such cases. He demanded a sweeping, intelligence-driven manhunt capable of unmasking the attackers swiftly and decisively.
He called on the Anambra State Government to use every lawful tool available to ensure the perpetrators are found and prosecuted, warning that allowing the crime to linger unresolved could threaten the state’s recent stability.
“Anambra has enjoyed relative peace in recent months,” he said. “This eruption of wickedness must not be permitted to derail that progress. The long arm of the law must catch up with these criminals.”
Ejiofor offered condolences to the grieving families and the Anglican community in Lilu, praying for healing for those injured and strength for the bereaved. Quoting Psalm 34:15–16, he expressed confidence that divine justice would expose and punish the attackers.
“The blood of innocent worshippers cries out for justice,” he said. “We must not normalise evil. We must not remain silent. Justice must prevail.”
He urged the state and nation to rise to the moment—protect holy spaces, confront violence head-on, and ensure that those who desecrate the altar of God are brought to account without delay.
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