Anambra priest recounts survival after gunmen attack
A Catholic priest in Anambra State has recounted how he survived a 44-minute ordeal after gunmen attacked motorists at the Ekwulobia roundabout, forcing him into the trunk of his vehicle as bullets flew around the area.
The cleric, Reverend Father Lawrence Nwankwo, Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia, said the incident occurred on July 9, 2025, while he was travelling to Awka, the Anambra State capital.
Attack at Ekwulobia roundabout
Nwankwo said he stopped at the traffic light at the Ekwulobia roundabout around 7:30am when gunshots suddenly erupted from different directions, including Nanka, Isuofia and Oko roads.
He said the shooting created panic at the junction, adding that he saw a woman lying on the road divider and believed she had been hit by a bullet.
Unsure of a safe escape route, the priest said he remained inside his vehicle until a gunman opened the door, ordered him to surrender the car key and forced him into the trunk.
Inside the trunk as shooting continued
According to Nwankwo, the gunman started the vehicle, left the engine running and the driver’s door open, possibly in preparation for a quick escape, while shooting continued around the roundabout.
From inside the trunk, he said he heard sustained gunfire and repeated calls for fresh magazines as the attackers reloaded their weapons.
At 7:48am, he said a bullet struck his toe while he lay inside the trunk, noting the time as he waited, unsure of what would happen next.
Security forces arrive, gunmen dislodged
The priest said the sound and intensity of the gunfire changed shortly after the Joint Intervention Force arrived and engaged the attackers.
He later learnt that the security operatives successfully dislodged the gunmen, preventing them from taking him away from the scene.
His vehicle, he said, was hit 19 times by bullets, including the spare tyre beneath the trunk where he was lying, while the passenger seat he had earlier occupied was also riddled with bullets.
Rescue and hospital treatment
Nwankwo said that after the shooting died down, he heard voices approaching and tapped on the trunk window until a young boy noticed him and opened it.
He said he immediately retrieved his phone and called colleagues to inform them he was alive. The call time — 8:14am — confirmed the ordeal lasted 44 minutes, from 7:30am to 8:14am.
He was later taken to St. Patrick’s Mission Hospital, Ekwulobia, where doctors treated him and amputated the injured toe.
Thanksgiving for survival
The priest said he later invited friends and community members to a Thanksgiving Mass in his village, Igweakpu, Ndiowu, to express gratitude for his survival.
The Mass was presided over by Cardinal Peter Ebere Okpaleke, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia.
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