The Anambra State Police Command confirmed the death of 10 person who died in an indiscriminate shooting incident on the night of Monday June 30, 2025 at Ogboji, Orumba South Local Government Area of the State.
Pledging to “hunt down the perpetrators and bring them to justice,” the Police Command explained that preliminary investigation shows that “the armed criminals came in two Sport Utility Vehicles and attacked the gathering of a group unprovokedly, shooting sporadically.
“The victims were rushed to the hospital and regrettably, 10 people were confirmed dead. The bodies have been deposited in the morgue.
“Meanwhile, the Police-led security team has taken over the scene and is working on the necessary information to arrest the perpetrators. Further development would be communicated, please.”
Sources confirmed that the bandits had stormed the venue of the monthly general meeting of non-indigenes in the area and opened fire on them.
A resident of the area and the President of the Association of Non-Indigenes in Anambra State, Chigozie Nweke, told journalists on Tuesday: “It was a tragic and horrifying Monday evening for members of the Ogboji community, particularly non-indigenes residing in the area, as gunmen stormed a meeting venue in the area and brutally murdered about 13 persons.
“The attack, which occurred between 6:00pm and 7:00pm, left the affected families in mourning. We bring to the attention of the Anambra State Government the killing of these persons, mostly indigenes of Ebonyi State at Ogboji in Orumba South Local Government Area by yet to be identified gunmen.”
Nweke also appealed to the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Ikioye Orutugu, to mobilise the Command’s personnel to hunt down the culprits.
Narrating his ordeal in the incident, a survivor, Augustine Odom, who is the chairman of the Ebonyi community in Ogboji, described the attack as “sudden and unprovoked”.
Odom said, “The community was holding its regular monthly meeting when the assailants struck. We were having our monthly meeting of the Ebonyi community, which holds on the last Monday of every month, beginning at 4:00pm.
“This gathering was known to our Town Union President. It was a peaceful meeting aimed at discussing welfare issues affecting our members. Then, around 6:30pm, a group of gunmen arrived in a Sienna vehicle and accused us of holding a meeting against them. “The attackers demanded the group’s minutes book, and thereafter seized it and opened fire on the participants. They collected our minutes book, ordered everyone to lie down, and then asked the chairman to stand. Moments later, they started shooting at us. About 13 of our members were killed on the spot. The treasurer and I survived with gunshot wounds.”
Odom added that those killed were from various communities in Ebonyi State, including Izzi, Ikwo, and Mgbo and other villages.
The two survivors, who are currently receiving treatment at a medical facility in the area, expressed shock, stating that they had no known disputes with any individual or group prior to the attack, adding: “We have no issues with anyone. We are law-abiding residents who simply gathered to support one another.”
