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Insecurity in Anambra State reached another bloody peak on Thursday, September 11, as suspected cultists stormed a burial ceremony in Ezi Village, Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area, killing four people and leaving at least fifteen others injured. Read Our Last Post: The Night My Little Girl Looked Into My Eyes and Said, ‘Daddy, He Touches Me When You’re Not Around’
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers, believed to be members of a rival cult group, rode into the burial venue on motorcycles while mourners were performing the final rites for the deceased. Without warning, they opened fire on the crowd, forcing people to scatter in panic.
One witness recounted the chilling scene:
“The family members were performing the burial rites when the assailants suddenly arrived. They shot directly at people, while others ran for their lives. They came on motorcycles and, after the attack, quickly escaped.”
The violence turned what was meant to be a solemn farewell into a scene of horror, with blood-soaked chairs and abandoned personal belongings left scattered in the compound.
Police confirm incident
Spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday. He said police operatives from Ogidi Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, responded swiftly to restore order and evacuate the victims to hospitals.
“Following a distress call in the late hours of September 11, 2025, that armed men suspected to be cultists invaded a burial ceremony at Ezi Village, Ogidi, Idemili North LGA, and opened fire on the attendees, four persons died while 15 others sustained serious injuries,” Ikenga said.
He added that 16 expended cartridges were recovered at the scene, and investigations have begun to track down the attackers, with preliminary findings linking the assault to rival cult clashes.
Commissioner, Governor react
Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, condemned the attack, assuring residents that the Command is intensifying efforts to eliminate cult-related violence in the state.
He urged members of the public to remain calm, vigilant, and to provide useful information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo also expressed grief over the killings, describing them as “barbaric and senseless.” He reiterated his administration’s commitment to flushing out criminal gangs in the state.
Not the first time
This tragedy recalls a similar incident in January 2025, when gunmen invaded a compound in Ihiala Local Government Area during burial preparations, killing seven people, including five police officers.
Once again, a day of mourning has ended in fresh grief, leaving families in Ezi Village in shock, their tears compounded by violence
