15th May, 2015
Cyriacus Izuekwe/Onitsha
A Catholic priest in Onitsha area, Anambra state, southeast Nigeria, Rev Fr. Obinna Emmanuel, popularly known as Ebube Nonso, escaped assassination attempt this week after unidentified gunmen ambushed him in his parish and shot him severally.
The priest, who has a Catholic Healing Ministry, was returning to his parish house at St Mary Catholic Church, Umudioka a few kilometers to Onitsha, when a gang stopped him in front of the parish and shot at him and his driver several times.
The incident happened on Tuesday after he had finished conducting his weekly prayer at a crusade and was returning to the parish.
His car was badly damaged by the bullets.
Father Emmanuel confirmed the incident to the Onitsha Relief Market traders where he went for the crusade.
He said after the incident he went to the police and reported and showed them the damaged car, adding that, the police did nothing about it.
It was not the first time Emmanuel has been attacked in a similar manner by unidentified gunmen.
Sometime ago when he was returning to his Uke parish from Onitsha, he was attacked and his car was badly damaged.
On that occasion he was also lucky because the bullets that riddled his car did not hit him.
Some of his parishioners were shocked and downcast after they heard about the incident.
They said it is a battle between light and darkness, adding that God is always with Father Emmanuel.
Although those behind the attack were not known, our reporter gathered that there are some powerful men, especially businessmen, in Anambra State who are against the weekly prayer crusade he holds in the state.