It was like a scene from a war film. A crowd of worshippers in a church -- perhaps praying, their eyes shut -- and suddenly the eerie sounds of guns. Pandemonium. Blood, tears and anguish.

But it was no movie. All was real last night in Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria, where unknown gunmen stormed a church and opened fire on worshippers, killing no fewer than 16.

Killed were worshippers of Deeper Life Bible Church opposite the Federal College of Education (FCE). Many were injured.

The gunmen [suspected to be Boko Haram], who were said to be bearing sophisticated weapons, stormed the church during the Bible Study, a Monday program, at about 7pm, shooting indiscriminately.

The gunmen reportedly took the worshippers by surprise. They blocked all entrances into the church, preventing people from escaping as they fired indiscriminately at the worshippers. A source said 15 worshippers died on the spot; one died in the hospital...

The attack came two weeks after an account officer with FCE, Okene, was abducted from his home and murdered. An attack on the Living Faith Church on Lagos Road in Okene was last month repelled by security operatives who stopped an explosive-laden vehicle parked by road side.

Kogi Police spokesman Simon Ile, who confirmed the incident, said he was yet to get details of the incident. He declined to speak on the number of casualties. He said the command was awaiting reports from the divisional police officer in charge of the area.

Ile said the police would go after the perpetrators of the dastardly act and bring them to justice.

The Commander of Army Headquarters Task Force, Lt Colonel Gabriel Olorunyomi, also confirmed the incident. He said: “Unknown gunmen invaded the Deeper Life Church this night (Monday) during a worship service and opened fire at the worshippers.”

Gunmen believed to be members of Boko Haram struck again in Sokoto State yesterday. They bombed a police station in Shagari Village about 70 kilometers to Sokoto, the state capital.

Shagari is the home town of Second Republic President Shehu Shagari. The police station that was attacked is a few meters away from his home.

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