The President General (PG) of the Ebonyi Unity Forum in Anambra State, Chief Moses Chukwuma Ofoke, has raised concern following the rising cases of harassment, intimidation, and violent killings of Ebonyi indigenes in Anambra.
Ofoke, who spoke on Sunday in reaction to the recent Ogboji massacre in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, where 11 Ebonyians were brutally murdered during a town union meeting, said urgent measures are needed to safeguard their lives and property.
He alleged that the victims were buried at a mass funeral attended by community leaders and government officials in Ebony were attacked by unknown gunmen who stormed the meeting venue in two vehicles.
The assailants allegedly ordered members to surrender their phones and lie face down before opening fire.
“Eleven of them died instantly, while several others sustained life-threatening injuries. Despite our cries for justice, no meaningful arrests have been made months after the killings. The situation has left our people living in fear, and this cannot continue,” Ofoke lamented.
The Ebonyi Unity Forum leader further accused some security operatives and vigilante groups in Anambra of arbitrary arrests, torture, and even extrajudicial killings of Ebonyians under flimsy pretexts, stressing that many victims were being targeted simply because of their origin.
“What we are passing through in Anambra is not easy. Security challenges are overwhelming, with many communities under the control of unknown gunmen. Yet, our people are often the soft targets. We cannot allow these atrocities to be swept under the carpet,” he warned.
Despite the prevailing tension, Ofoke expressed optimism that the administrations of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi and Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra would strengthen collaboration to end the hostilities.
He described both leaders as peace-driven and development-oriented, insisting that Ebonyians in Anambra should not be treated as strangers but as partners in progress.
“By God’s grace, with the support of our two Governors, Ebonyi people in Anambra will no longer be subjected to ill-treatment. We will cement mutual relationships between the two sister states and ensure peace and dignity for our people,” Ofoke assured.
The PG explained that the Ebonyi Unity Forum, an umbrella body for all Ebonyi associations and clubs in Anambra, remains committed to fostering unity, dialogue, and cooperation to safeguard members’ welfare while promoting peaceful coexistence in the host state.
He appealed to security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend the killers of the Ogboji victims and restore law and order in troubled Anambra communities. At the same time, he cautioned Ebonyi indigenes against actions capable of tarnishing the image of their people.
“We are peace-loving people, and our contributions to commerce, education, and development in Anambra cannot be ignored. It is time justice is done for those killed, and it is time our people are treated with fairness and respect,” he concluded.
