The police in Anambra State have attributed Monday’s deadly attack at Ogboji in Orumba South Local Council, which left 10 indigenes of Ebonyi State dead, to a leadership dispute within the association representing Ebonyi people in the area.
This came as the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, called on Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State to urgently apprehend those responsible for the killings in order to forestall any potential reprisals.
It was gathered that armed men, riding in two Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), stormed a gathering of Ebonyi indigenes and opened fire without provocation, killing ten people and injuring several others.
The State Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, who led a joint security team comprising the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other sister agencies to the scene, announced the arrest of one Sunday Mbanu in connection with the attack.
He noted that the incident was not a targeted attack against any specific state’s indigenes, but rather the cowardly act of enemies of peace and progress in the state.
In a statement, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, explained that the meeting disrupted by the gunmen involved a factional leadership of the Ebonyi community living in Ogboji.
“It was alleged that the association had earlier complained and written a petition to the President General of Ogboji without recourse to the security agencies,” he said.
He added that during the interaction with some stakeholders of the community, including the Traditional Prime Minister, President General of the Ogboji community, and the son of the landlord where the meeting was held—the crime scene—several other revelations were made.
“There is a leadership squabble in the Association of Ebonyi State indigenes in the area.
“The President General was trying to use an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) strategy to resolve the issue. It escalated, leading to the unfortunate incident.
“The son of the landlord confirmed that one of the victims is a tenant in their compound and provided some details that the joint investigative team is working on,” he disclosed.
Ikenga conveyed the sympathies of the Joint Security Team to the people of Ebonyi State, especially the family and friends of the deceased, while wishing the injured a quick recovery.
He restated the commitment of the Anambra State Police Command to ensuring that the perpetrators of the heinous crime are brought to book.
