The remains of eleven Ebonyi indigenes brutally murdered in Ogboji, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, were on Thursday given a state burial in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The victims — Ikechukwu Nwafor, Ebenezer Nwigbo, Uche Alegu, Monday Ofoke, Chidera Utobo, Akam Okechukwu, Sunday Offim, Sunday Ugada, Clement Ofoke, Chidera Nwogbala, and Sunday Nweke — hailed from Izzi, Ikwo, and Ezza North LGAs of Ebonyi. They were gunned down on May 30, 2025, during an Ebonyi community meeting in Ogboji.
Reports confirmed that seventeen persons were shot in the attack, with eleven killed instantly and six others sustaining injuries.
Mourners wept uncontrollably as the caskets of the deceased were displayed at Unity Square, Abakaliki, where the Ebonyi State Government organized a state funeral.
Delivering the homily, Rev. Fr. Joseph Orji described the massacre as “unprovoked and barbaric,” stressing that such an atrocity had never occurred in the state’s history. He praised Governor Francis Nwifuru for giving the victims a befitting burial and prayed for the repose of their souls.
“This sad event is historic,” Orji said. “Our people were simply gathered in peace, seeking their wellbeing, before their lives were brutally cut short. By immortalizing them at Unity Square, the government has shown that in grief and in joy, Ebonyi stands united.”
In his remarks, Governor Francis Nwifuru, speaking with deep emotion, condemned the repeated killings of Ebonyi indigenes in Anambra, noting that the May 30 massacre was the peak of such attacks. He expressed anger that no arrests had been made despite evidence pointing to non-Ebonyi attackers.
“The persistent killing of our people in Anambra is unacceptable and must end,” Nwifuru declared. “The preliminary investigation shows that those responsible were not speaking Ebonyi language. Yet, till today, none has been arrested.”
The governor announced financial support of N60 million for the victims’ families — with N10 million earmarked for the children of one victim whose wife also died after the massacre, and N5 million each for the other bereaved families.
He urged the beneficiaries to invest the funds wisely in businesses that would sustain the orphans left behind, warning them against returning to Anambra State.
Stay updated with Ebonyi News Network for real-time reports, in-depth analysis, and exclusive coverage of policies shaping Ebonyi State.
