
A member of the House of Representatives, Clara Nnabuife, on Thursday, condemned the recent violence in Ogboji, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, which claimed the lives of at least 10 individuals of Ebonyi State extraction.
Addressing journalists at the National Assembly Press Complex, Nnabuife, who represents Orumba North/ South Federal Constituency, described the attack as a heartbreaking and unjustified loss of innocent lives.
The victims, members of the Ebonyi Union residing in Ogboji, were reportedly killed by gunmen during a routine meeting of the union.
Preliminary accounts suggest that the incident stemmed from an internal leadership crisis within the union, rather than a communal or ethnic conflict.
“I condemn this barbaric act in the strongest terms.
“No Nigerian should ever face such brutality. This senseless bloodshed is a crime against our shared humanity and must not go unpunished,” Nnabuife said.
She noted that the crisis was an internal dispute among Ebonyi indigenes, who have coexisted peacefully in the Ogboji community for many years.
There is no record of hostility between the host community and the Ebonyi settlers,” she added.
According to the lawmaker, reliable sources, including community leaders, security personnel, and eyewitness accounts, confirmed that the violence escalated following a dispute in the Ebonyi Union.
According to her, a breakaway faction allegedly made away with the union’s financial records, cash, and minute book, creating tension that boiled over in March 2025.
She noted that one of the deceased, believed to be the leader of the splinter group and serving union chairman, had earlier submitted a statement to the police regarding the internal discord, further confirming the non-communal nature of the conflict.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Ogboji Town Union, local vigilante groups, and community stakeholders responded swiftly by restoring calm, aiding the injured, and coordinating burial arrangements.
She commended the Ebonyi community in Ogboji for their composure despite the grief, saying, “Their resilience and restraint are admirable and offer a glimmer of hope amid this tragedy.”
Calling for a thorough and transparent investigation, Nnabuife urged the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services and the state governments of Anambra and Ebonyi to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.
We cannot allow impunity to thrive under a democratic system,” she stressed, urging the President Bola Tinubu-led government to provide humanitarian assistance to affected families through the National Emergency Management Agency and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
The lawmaker also cautioned the public and media against making false claims about the incident.
“This moment calls for truth, unity, and empathy, not finger-pointing or sensationalism,” she advised.