Suspect arrested as police unravel motive behind Anambra massacre

The police have given more updates on the motive behind the murder of 13 indigenes of Ebonyi State in Anambra State.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how some gunmen invaded Ogboji, a community in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday evening, killing about 13 people.

The victims were members of an association of Ebonyi indigenes holding their monthly meeting in the area at the time.

The police in Anambra State earlier confirmed the attack, but said only 10 people were killed.

On his part, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has condemned the deadly attack and vowed to seek justice for the murder of the victims.

The Anambra State Government initially hinted that, based on its preliminary investigation, the deadly attack was likely caused by an internal disagreement within the association of Ebonyi indigenes.

More updates

In a statement forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday night, police spokesperson in Anambra State Tochukwu Ikenga said police authorities in the state have made some findings on the motive behind the deadly attack.

Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Ikioye Orutugu, led a joint security team on a fact-finding visit to the scene of the attack earlier on Wednesday.

Join the Premium Times WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.

Open in WhatsApp

Mr Orutugu, he said, announced the arrest of a male suspect, Sunday Mbanu, now assisting the police in their investigation.

The police chief, according to the statement, uncovered the motive behind the attack during an interaction with some leaders of the community as well as the son of the landlord whose house the ill-fated meeting was held.

The commissioner said it was established that the Ebonyi association had been facing a leadership squabble in recent times.

“The meeting that recorded the incident is the factional leadership of Ebonyi indigenes living in Ogboji, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

“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.

Mr Orutugu stressed that the president general was still trying to settle the matter through alternative dispute resolution strategy before the matter escalated, resulting in the deadly attack.

The police chief added that the son of the landlord confirmed that one of the victims is a tenant in their compound.

The victim, he said, had given some details which the joint security team was already working on.

Condolence

Mr Orutugu commiserated with the people of Ebonyi State, particularly the families and friends of the deceased victims.

The police chief also wished the injured victims quick recovery.

“The Anambra State Police Command remains committed to making sure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to book,” he assured.

‘The gunmen were given false information to attack’

Meanwhile, a social media influencer and an indigene of Ebonyi State, Chika Nwoba, earlier on Wednesday, made a Facebook post in which he linked the attack to a crisis within the Ebonyi association.

Mr Nwoba, a former spokesperson of the PDP in Ebonyi State, said some members informed him that two persons within the association were having issues.

The PDP chieftain said one of the warring parties reported the other to an Ebonyi Community in Ogboji amid the dispute.

“The other one who refused attending the (ill-fated) meeting then gave false information to unknown gunmen who arrived the venue of the meeting and asked for the chairman of the meeting.

READ ALSO: IMF hails Nigeria’s economic reforms, says growth projected at 3.4% in 2025

“Nobody accepted to point at the chairman. The gunmen then opened fire at the members of the forum and got 11 persons down. The chairman survived the attack and has spoken from hospital,” he narrated.

He added: “The guy who brought unknown gunmen into the matter is currently in the net of SWAT in Awkuzu and volunteering information as regards what happened. This is the report coming from some of the Ebonyi people in Ogboji.”

Mr Nwoba did not, however, give details of the “issues” between the two warring members.

He did not also mention the identities of the two members and their leadership positions.