The Anambra State Police Command has launched a comprehensive investigation into the brutal killing of ten persons in Ogboji, Orumba South Local Government Area, with Commissioner of Police Ikioye Orutugu leading a joint security team to the crime scene on Tuesday.
CP Orutugu confirmed the arrest of one male suspect, Sunday Mbanu, who is currently assisting police with their investigation into the murders that have shocked the southeastern community. “The incident is not a targeted attack on any indigene of any State but a cowardly action of the common enemies of the State,” the Commissioner emphasized during the fact-finding mission.
The investigation has revealed that the murders stemmed from a leadership crisis within the local Association of Ebonyi State indigenes residing in the area. According to community stakeholders, including the Traditional Prime Minister and President General of Ogboji Community, the violence erupted during a factional meeting of the association.
The meeting where the killings occurred was organized by one faction of the divided Ebonyi indigenes’ association. The group had previously petitioned the community’s President General without involving security agencies, and violence escalated despite attempts at Alternative Dispute Resolution to settle the internal dispute. One victim was confirmed as a tenant in a local compound, with the landlord’s son providing crucial details to investigators.
The joint security team comprised officers from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other security agencies. The team also paid a courtesy visit to the Traditional Ruler of Ekwulobia during their mission.
Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga expressed condolences to the people of Ebonyi State, particularly families and friends of the deceased, while wishing the injured victims a speedy recovery. “The Anambra State Police Command remains committed to making sure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to book,” Ikenga stated in the official release.
The investigation continues as authorities work to piece together the full circumstances surrounding the deadly incident that has cast a shadow over the typically peaceful community in Orumba South Local Government Area.
