By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command said it has launched a full-scale investigation into the recent gruesome murder of ten persons in Ogboji, Orumba South Local Government Area, following a fact-finding mission led by the State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu.
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in which he detailed the steps taken by the police and sister security agencies to unearth the circumstances surrounding the massacre that has thrown the community into mourning.
According to the statement, CP Orutugu, accompanied by a Joint Security Team comprising officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other sister agencies, visited the crime scene for an on-the-spot assessment. The visit, the PPRO said, formed part of the Command’s determination to ensure that the perpetrators of the heinous act are brought to book.
During the visit, CP Orutugu confirmed the arrest of one suspect, identified as Sunday Mbanu, who, according to the statement, is currently assisting the police with vital information that could lead to the arrest of other culprits.
The PPRO further quoted the Commissioner as describing the killing as the handiwork of “common enemies of the state,” stressing that it was not a targeted attack against any particular group or indigene of any state. He urged the public to disregard misleading narratives suggesting an ethnic dimension to the tragedy, while reaffirming the resolve of the Command to hunt down all those responsible.
The statement also highlighted key revelations gathered during CP Orutugu’s interaction with critical stakeholders of the community, including the Traditional Prime Minister of Ogboji, the President General of the Ogboji community, and the son of the landlord of the compound where the crime occurred.
Among the revelations was confirmation of a leadership tussle within the Association of Ebonyi State indigenes residing in the area. It was disclosed that the ill-fated meeting during which the massacre took place was convened by a faction of this group. Alarmingly, the association had earlier reported the dispute in a petition to the Ogboji President General, but failed to engage security agencies, a move that some stakeholders believe contributed to the escalation of the conflict.
In what appears to have been an attempt at peacebuilding, the President General had initiated an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) approach to resolve the impasse, but this effort was tragically overtaken by violence.
The son of the landlord at the scene of the incident also provided additional details linking one of the victims to a tenancy in the compound — information which the joint investigative team is working on to build a comprehensive case file.
The police statement further noted that CP Orutugu and his team paid a courtesy call on the Traditional Ruler of Ekwulobia as part of the ongoing engagement with community leaders to strengthen collaboration on security matters.
While extending condolences to the government and people of Ebonyi State, particularly families of the deceased, the Command, through the PPRO’s statement, assured that it remained committed to ensuring that the perpetrators are unmasked and made to face the full weight of the law.
“The Anambra State Police Command remains committed to making sure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to book,” the statement concluded, while also wishing those injured in the attack a speedy recovery.
More photos from the visit:
