By John Ije
A survivor of the brutal July 1 attack in Ogboji, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, has shared a chilling eyewitness account of how armed men stormed a peaceful community meeting and murdered no fewer than 11 Ebonyi indigenes in cold blood.
Onuoha Godwin, a native of Inyimagu, Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and member of the Ebonyi State Welfare Association, recounted the horror from his hospital bed after sustaining gunshot wounds to the hand and abdomen.
“We were just about rounding up our general meeting when they arrived. At first, we thought they were policemen. We had no idea they came to kill,” he said.
The attackers, Godwin revealed, asked for the Chairman of the association’s Ogboji branch, Augustine Odogwu, whom they later executed after forcing Godwin to identify him under duress.
“They came straight to me. They asked what we were discussing and accused us of opposing them. Then they shot me. I was forced to point out Augustine. They brought him out and shot him in cold blood. Afterwards, they shot me again,” he narrated in a viral video now circulating widely on social media.
Godwin said the group typically held its general meetings twice a month in the Anambra community, where many Ebonyi indigenes reside and work. “We never expected this. We have lived peacefully for years in Ogboji. What happened was evil,” he said.
The shocking incident, now described as a targeted ethnic attack, has sparked outrage and widespread condemnation across Nigeria.
The Government of Ebonyi State, led by Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has demanded a thorough investigation, while civil society groups and concerned citizens, including Anambra residents of Ebonyi origin, have decried the killings as “barbaric and senseless.”
Former Ebonyi State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Charles Akpuenika, condemned the massacre as “an affront to humanity and peace.”
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi Progressive Circle (EPC), a pan-Ebonyi advocacy group, released a strong statement calling for swift justice and protection of Ebonyi communities in diaspora.
As of press time, the Anambra State Police Command said investigations were ongoing, but no arrests had been confirmed. Security agencies have been urged to track down the perpetrators and bring them to justice swiftly.
This incident adds to Nigeria’s growing list of communal and targeted killings that continue to shake national unity and expose deep security lapses in local governance.
“We are not safe anymore, even in meetings meant to help our people,” said another member of the association who chose to remain anonymous.
Activists, faith leaders, and regional groups have called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on violent attacks targeting ethnic communities.
“Enough is enough. Ebonyi lives matter. This cannot be swept under the carpet,” said Rev. John Nworie, a community leader based in Awka.
As Nigerians await concrete action from law enforcement, the bereaved families and survivors are left to pick up the pieces of what should have been an ordinary day of brotherhood and community bonding.
"They didn’t come to rob. They didn’t ask for money. They came to kill us. And they did," Survivor, Onuoha Godwin maintained.
