Abuja, Aug 7 (IANS): At least eight persons were killed and 18 were injured in an attack on a church in southeastern Nigeria on Sunday, the police said.

The attackers opened fire on the hundreds of worshippers gathered at St. Philip Catholic Church in Ozubulu area of the southeast Anambra state, Xinhua news agency reported.

An eyewitness said that scores of worshipers were killed when gunmen entered the church during the 5.45 a.m. mass, identified a particular man and shot him.

He said the gunmen later went on rampage and opened fire at the remaining worshipers numbering over 100, noting that scores of people were killed on the spot.

State police chief Garba Umar said that so far no arrests have been made and preliminary investigations by the police revealed that the attack was carried out by natives of the area.

The motive behind the shooting remains unclear. The police have launched a manhunt on those behind the attack.

Umar described any insinuation that the attack was carried out by Boko Haram elements as false and urged the people to go about their businesses as usual.