Bloodbath At Anambra Burial: Gunmen Kill Four, Injure 15 As FENRAD Calls For State Of Emergency, Condemns Government’s Failure To Protect Citizens

The Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) strongly condemns the horrific attack on mourners during a burial ceremony in Anambra State, where four persons were killed and at least fifteen others injured.

The barbaric incident, which occurred on Thursday 11th September 2025, has again highlighted the gross failure of the government to fulfill its constitutional duty of protecting lives and property.

A trending video on social media captured some of the injured victims receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital. Eyewitnesses said the gunmen stormed Ezi Village, Ogidi, on Thursday and opened fire on unsuspecting mourners, turning the solemn event into a bloodbath.

Police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, said preliminary investigations revealed that the incident was linked to a clash between rival cult groups. He added that detectives had been deployed to identify and arrest the perpetrators.

Ikenga also appealed to members of the public to assist the police with credible information on the identity of the gunmen.

In his words: 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, resulting in the death of four persons while fifteen others sustained serious injuries. Police Operatives from Ogidi Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, swiftly mobilized to the scene, restored normalcy, and immediately evacuated the victims to hospitals for medical attention.

“In the course of the operation, 16 (sixteen) expended cartridges were recovered as exhibits. The Command has since launched a discreet investigation to identify, trace, and arrest the perpetrators, as preliminary findings suggest that the incident is connected to a clash between rival cult groups.”

The senseless violence adds to the rising wave of insecurity that continues to engulf communities across Anambra and the wider Southeast.

“This appalling attack is not only a tragedy but also a glaring testament to the collapse of security architecture in the Anambra state

“It is unacceptable that citizens cannot gather to mourn their dead without being murdered in cold blood. This is a systemic failure.”

FENRAD notes with dismay that despite repeated warnings, appeals, and policy recommendations by civil society, the state and federal governments have failed to implement decisive measures to curb the growing insecurity in Anambra. This consistent failure is costing innocent lives and eroding public confidence in governance.

As such, FENRAD urgently calls for:
A formal declaration of a state of emergency on killings and insecurity in Anambra State.

Deployment of joint federal security forces with a clear mandate to neutralize armed groups and restore peace.

An independent judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the massacre and prosecute those responsible.

Comprehensive compensation, trauma care, and medical treatment for all victims and their families.

Beyond immediate responses, FENRAD reiterates its longstanding advocacy for comprehensive community-based policing, stressing that any lasting solution to insecurity in Anambra and the Southeast must be rooted in local intelligence, trust, and collaboration between communities and trained security personnel.

“Our current security model has clearly failed. We must shift to a community policing approach that empowers local stakeholders, enhances intelligence gathering, and fosters swift response,” Comrade Nwafor emphasized.

FENRAD expresses its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and stands in solidarity with all victims of violence across Anambra. The organization urges all levels of government to rise above politics and act decisively to end the bloodshed.