Tension gripped Ogidi community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State on Friday night after gunmen shot and killed the President-General of the community, Sir Ikwuka Okoye, popularly known as Anumili, along with another man.
The assailants, believed to be members of a cult group, reportedly carried out the attack at the School Field in Ogidi, where the victims were ambushed and killed on the spot. The second victim was said to be a relative of the slain community leader.
Residents linked the killings to a suspected reprisal attack following the recent arrest and killing of a notorious cult leader by local security operatives in the area.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers arrived suddenly and opened fire without warning.
“They came with guns and started shooting. Before anyone could react, the President-General and the other man were already dead,” the resident said.
The killing has sparked outrage and deep sorrow across Ogidi, with community members describing Okoye as a duly elected leader whose death has shaken the town.
Confirming the incident, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said preliminary investigations point to a link between the attack and recent anti-cult operations in the community.
“The incident is suspected to be connected to the arrest and neutralisation of a notorious cult figure in the area,” Ikenga said.
He disclosed that police operatives swiftly secured the crime scene and have launched a full-scale investigation, relying on eyewitness accounts and intelligence gathering to identify and apprehend those behind the attack.
The police spokesperson assured residents that efforts are ongoing to bring the perpetrators to justice and urged the public to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies as investigations continue.
He added that further details would be made available as the probe progresses.
