Bodies of 11 indigenes of Ebonyi State who were murdered in Anambra State have been buried in their various communities in Ebonyi State.
The murder
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how some gunmen invaded Ogboji, a community in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, on 30 June, killing about 13 people.
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The victims were indigenes of Ebonyi State holding their monthly meeting in the area at the time.
The police in Anambra State had confirmed the attack, but claimed only 10 people were killed.
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But Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State in a statement by his spokesperson, Monday Uzor, said 13 people were killed in the attack.
The governor then vowed to seek justice for the victims of the attack.
Burial
The 11 indigenes of Ebonyi State were buried on Thursday, exactly two months after the incident.
The buried victims were Ikechukwu Nwafor, Ebenezer Nwigbo, Uche Alegu, Monday Ofoke, Chidera Utobo, and Akam Okechukwu.
Others were Sunday Offim, Sunday Ugada, Clement Ofoke, Chidera Nwogbala and Sunday Nweke.
They hailed from Izzi, Ikwo and Ezza North Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State.
Heavy tears
Tears rolled down the cheeks of many indigenes and those who attended the burial when the victims’ caskets were lined up for a requiem mass at the Unity Square, Abakaliki the state capital.
In his sermon, a Catholic Priest, Joseph Orji, condemned the murder of the victims and described it as “unprovoked and barbaric.”
Mr Orji said the state had never recorded such an incident in the past, saying the perpetrators committed “a heinous crime.”
The Catholic priest praised Governor Nwifuru for giving the victims a befitting burial and prayed to God to repose their souls.
“Your Excellency, we thank you for bringing all of us to this unity square. The reasons why all of us are gathered here at Unity Square are symbolic.
“It has never been in our history that a peaceful group sitting together for their own well-being, struggling to make ends meet, and suddenly, somebody comes in to wipe out the generation of eleven people,” he said.
Nwifuru speaks
Governor Nwifuru, who spoke in an emotion-laden voice, expressed sadness over the “persistent killing” of Ebonyi people in Anambra State, which he said got to its climax with the recent murder of the victims.
The governor lamented that none of the killers had been arrested at the moment.
“The way our people are being killed in Anambra State is unacceptable, and it must stop.
“I was provoked by the story of the Orumba South Local Government chairman who said it was Ebonyi people that killed Ebonyi people. This is without any proof,” he said.
“The preliminary investigation shows that those who massacred our people were not speaking the Ebonyi language, but up to date, no arrest has been made, none of them has been arrested.”
READ ALSO: Anambra govt identifies motive behind murder of 13 Ebonyi indigenes
Succour for families of deceased victims
Mr Nwifuru, at the event, announced a total of N60m cash gifts to the families of deceased victims.
The governor gifted N10million to the children of one of the deceased victims whose wife died after the deadly attack and N5 million to the children of the families of other deceased victims.
He urged families of the deceased victims to use the funds to set up meaningful businesses that can cater for the bereaved children and equally advised them not to go back to Anambra State.
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