Panic engulfed the Ogboji community in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday evening, as unidentified gunmen launched a deadly attack on a peaceful community gathering, leaving at least 13 people feared dead.
The armed assailants, who reportedly arrived in two Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), stormed the venue of a regular monthly meeting and opened fire on the unsuspecting participants. The gathering, attended mainly by non-indigenes from neighbouring Ebonyi State, turned into a bloodbath between 6:00pm and 7:00pm.
Eyewitnesses say the attackers fired indiscriminately before singling out the chairman and demanding the group’s minutes book. After seizing the document, they ordered the participants to lie down and began shooting. Thirteen individuals were allegedly killed instantly, although police authorities confirmed 10 fatalities.
Speaking to journalists, Chigozie Nweke, President of the Association of Non-Indigenes in Anambra State, expressed deep sorrow over the killings, describing the event as “tragic and horrifying.” He emphasised that most of the victims were
Ebonyi State natives who had been living peacefully in Ogboji.
“This is a deliberate and brutal massacre of innocent people who simply gathered to discuss communal welfare,” Nweke lamented. “We urge the Anambra State Government and security agencies to ensure justice is served.”
One of the survivors, Augustine Odom, Chairman of the Ebonyi Community in Ogboji, recounted the harrowing moment the attackers struck.
“We were in the middle of our regular monthlymeeting, which started around 4:00pm,” Odom explained. “At about 6:30pm, a Sienna vehicle pulled up and gunmen stormed in. They accused us of conspiring against them, demanded our minutes book, then opened fire. Thirteen people died on the spot. I survived with a gunshot wound, along with our treasurer.”
Odom confirmed that the victims hailed from various Ebonyi communities including Izzi, Ikwo, Mgbo, and other villages. He insisted there had been no known dispute or tension before the attack, adding, “We are law-abiding people. We were simply supporting one another.”
The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the incident. According to its spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, police operatives swiftly responded to the scene and have since launched a full investigation.
“On the evening of 30th June, 2025, unidentified armed men attacked a gathering in Ogboji and shot indiscriminately,” Ikenga said in a statement. “Ten persons were confirmed dead upon arrival at the hospital. The corpses have been deposited in the morgue, while survivors are receiving treatment.”
Ikenga assured the public that the police would leave no stone unturned in tracking down the perpetrators. “We have cordoned off the area and our tactical teams are gathering intelligence to identify and arrest those responsible. This act is unacceptable and will not go unpunished,” he stated.
As the community reels from the shock and loss, calls for enhanced security and justice continue to mount across the state.
