2024 Review: Anambra, the most terrorized State in South East Nigeria
26th December, 2024: Reverend Father Tobias Chukwujekwu Okonkwo ambushed by gunmen who cruelly shot him to death at Ihiala. The Catholic archdiocese of Nnewi thrown into mourning.
24th December, 2024: Gunmen kidnapped Justice Azuka, the lawmaker representing Onitsha North constituency in Anambra House of Assembly. Police has since recovered his vehicle. His whereabouts remain unknown.
25th December, 2023: Mr Chidubem Obijieze abducted by gunmen at his residence in Ihiala. The terrorists are yet to contact his family till date. His whereabouts remains a mystery.
Insecurity in the southeast skyrocketed to a crescendo in 2024 with reports of abductions, killings and terrorism by non-state actors. Security of lives and properties took the backseat as lives and investments were destroyed randomly owing to the activities of unknown gunmen. The demand for ransom took center stage as kidnappers made lucrative business out of the illicit enterprise of human peddling.
The governments of the five states of the southeast geopolitical zone – Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu & Imo battled with the task of providing security for lives and properties with minimal results to show for their effort.
From January to December of 2024, the security situation in the southeast deteriorated with Anambra State topping the charts for criminal restiveness. Anambra emerged as the capital of terrorism in the southeast with over 500 kidnap cases in 2024.
Anambra state which produced globally acclaimed citizens such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Chinua Achebe, Alex Ekwueme, Chike Obi, Christopher Okigbo, Chimamanda Adichie, Peter Obi etc has become notorious for wanton destruction of lives and properties.
The high level of insecurity in Anambra is believed to have influenced Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo to move his daughter’s wedding ceremony to Abuja for the safety of his very important guests. Having failed to provide tangible solution to the insecurity tragedies in the state with highest number of billionaires, Soludo tried his best to abolish the sit-at-home order that is forcefully observed in the southeast without success. From his swearing-in as governor of Anambra, Soludo has faced the challenge of widespread insecurity across the 21 local government areas.
As 2024 comes to a close, most towns in Anambra has been sacked by terrorists who kidnap and kill after receiving ransom from victims. Many families in Anambra have experienced the trauma of kidnapping and loss of loved ones in the hands of dare devil assailants.
The media was inundated in 2024 with news of violent crimes in the once peaceful state.
2024 witnessed the highest number of kidnapped clergymen in Anambra state.
Reverend Father Christian Ike was kidnapped on June 16, 2024, while returning from morning mass at St. Michael Catholic Church in Ndiokpaleke. The priest and two others were double-crossed by armed men in three vehicles, who took the priest and some of the other occupants’ belongings.
Reverend Father Basil Gbuzuo was kidnapped on May 15, 2024, near Onitsha. Gbuzuo was released after an undisclosed amount of money was paid to his captors.
Anglican priest, identified as David Arinze Ajaefobi was also kidnapped by gunmen on 26th October. 2024. Ajaefobi was the Archdeacon of Oyi Central Archdeaconry and Vicar of St. James’ Parish, Awkuzu.
The emeritus Archbishop of the Niger Province and Bishop of Nnewi, Most Rev. Prof. Godwin Okpala who hails from Adazi Ani, Anaocha Local Government Area Anambra State was also kidnapped by gunmen in 2024. The 75-year-old clergyman is yet be released by his abductors till date causing tension and anxiety among the Anglican faithful in Nnewi, and his home town Adazi Ani.
Kidnap cases increase in Anambra
The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of Justice Azuka, the lawmaker representing Onitsha North Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
Azuka was kidnapped on Tuesday night while returning home along Ugwunapampa Road in Inland Town, Onitsha.Confirming the abduction, Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said efforts were underway to rescue the lawmaker and arrest his abductors.
According to the PUNCH, residents, groups, and relevant stakeholders, including retired security officers, have decried the increasing rate of kidnapping in Anambra State, highlighting the need for urgent attention to address the ugly development.
“South-East PUNCH findings showed that armed hoodlums, suspected to be kidnappers have intensified their nefarious activities in the state in recent weeks, digging deep into both the rural and urban communities.”
Statistics from The PUNCH show that no fewer than 20 persons were kidnapped between May and August 2024 with over N250 million paid as ransom, including over 10 deaths recorded in three months. For instance, three persons were kidnapped by yet-to-be-identified hoodlums along the Nkpologwu-Akpo Road, Nkpologwu, in Aguata Local Government Area of the state. The three men, based outside the state, and who came for a function in the state, were said to have been kidnapped at different locations in the community by heavily armed men.
Precisely on July 23, one person popularly called ‘Major’ was kidnapped at Ihiala as he was heading to Umuahia, Abia State for his daughter’s wedding. His family was said to have paid N2 million to his abductors.
Also, in June, a professor and a couple were said to have been kidnapped around the Dubai Estate in Awka, they were said to have been released by their captors after the payment of over N80 million.
It was also gathered that a Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps, coming from outside the state, with his driver, was kidnapped at Mbosi in Ihiala as they were returning after visiting his family in Edo State.
The kidnappers, who carried his Hilux official vehicle are yet to release the man and his driver, even after collecting a ransom of about N4.2 million from his family.
The son of a prominent traditional ruler in Anambra State fell victim to these criminals. He was said to have been kidnapped at Modebe by Oguta Road junction.
Also, in June 2024, findings showed that four people were victims of kidnap at Creek Road, Fegge in Onitsha, one of them was with his wife. They later dropped him after shooting him in the mouth which removed his teeth, but they carried his pregnant wife and they had to pay a whopping sum of N12 million to the kidnappers as ransom.
In May, 2024, two students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, were kidnapped on their way to attend a burial ceremony in Enugu. They were released by their captors after the payment of ransom contributed by their fellow schoolmates through a ‘Go-Fund Me’ campaign.
At Nnewi, a commander of the Anambra Vigilante Group was brutally murdered in cold blood, while people who were conducting the funeral of their late relatives were murdered and some sustained different degrees of injuries.
Findings also showed that these kidnappers always operate in SUV Prado Jeep with tinted glass and they perpetrate these acts without any hindrance.
All these incidents were confirmed by the police authorities through the state command spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who told South-East PUNCH that “the police had launched a manhunt for the assailants.
Only recently, a lecturer in the department of Business Administration, Dr Fabian Osita Chinedu was gruesomely murdered by unknown assailants in Awka.
Towns attacked by armed hoodlums in Anambra
Five persons were feared killed when some unknown gunmen attacked two communities in Anambra State in the early hours of Monday, November 18, 2024. It was gathered that the heavily armed gunmen said to be enforcing sit-at-home, stormed the Abatete community in Idemili North Local Government Area, targeting security personnel attached to the town’s President-General. Some sources in the area said three security men were shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire. The PG of the community was critically injured and rushed to a nearby hospital.
In another separate incident, armed men attacked Ukpo Community at the Ukpo roundabout in Dunukofia Local Government Area, killing one vigilante operative and a motorcycle rider.
“It was chaos. The attackers came out of nowhere in a commando-like fashion and started shooting indiscriminately,” an eyewitness said.
It was gathered that both incidents were said to have occurred within an hour interval, with the first attack happening at 8am in Abatete and the second at 8.45am at Ukpo Roundabout.
Tragedy struck in Nibo, Anambra State, as scores of lives mostly youths were lost in a brutal attack suspected to have been launched by cultists.
The perpetrators, reportedly arriving in a black Lexus SUV, stormed an eatery in the community and opened fire indiscriminately, leaving a trail of death and destruction.
Indigenes of the community, mostly youths who were in the public celebrating Onwa Asaa Festival were gunned down.
The crime scene is a few distance away from the Governor’s Lodge, where the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, resides.
According to eyewitnesses, who spoke to THISDAY, at least a 16 people were confirmed dead, with fears that the death toll may rise.
“They killed about eight persons in one location and drove to another close to Eke Nibo market, where more people were killed,” a witness said.
In 2024, about three communities in Anambra State were attacked by gunmen said to be enforcing the already abolished sit-at-home order previously declared by outlawed secessionist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
At least five persons were reported dead in the attacks which happened in Abatete , Abagana and Ukpo communities.
Also, vehicles were set ablaze by the attackers who repeatedly warned people to respect the sit-at-home order.
The attacks happened between 8a.m. and 10a.m., as the casualties were mainly men of the Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG).
The first attack was said to have happened in Abatete town, targeting vigilance personnel attached to the town’s President-General (PG).
Three security men were shot and killed in the hail of bullets, while PG of the community was also critically injured and rushed to a nearby hospital.
Ozo Title ceremony in Amakor village, Nanka Community of Orumba North Local Government Area in Anambra State turned bloody as gunmen kidnapped eight people and injured twelve.
According to Barr Emmanuel Ilo, one of the Ozo title holders who was present at the event, his escape was by divine intervention.
“Without any explanation or engagement with the organizers of the event, the men began to scatter things at the venue, intimidate, and brutalize many of the participants and organizers, while the armed men stood by, including some dressed in police uniforms,” he said.
He further explained that after the assault, about eight people, including the Amakor village Chairman, Barr. Obinna Ilo, Emerie Ilo, Sam Eminike, and Chief Asina Okafor, were forced into waiting Sienna vehicles and driven to an unknown location. Some other participants managed to escape and have been in hiding since then.
Violence continues to reign supreme in Anambra State. According to a statistics issued by the Anambra State Association of Town Union (ASATU), no fewer than seven Presidents-General of various communities in Anambra State have been brutally murdered in the past seven years. The murder of the President General of Umuoji, Chief Silas Onyima, swelled the list of the Presidents-General who faced gruesome death in the hands of faceless assailants. Others who were victims of terrorism in Anambra State include:
Chief Anthony Igboka, the President General of Nimo in Njikoka Local Government Area, murdered in April 2019.
Mr. Julius Chinwuba, the President General of Orom Etiti in Anambra West Area, was killed November 15, 2017.
Chief Ike Okolo, the erstwhile President General of Obosi Community in the same Idemili North LGA, was murdered in his car in January 2023.
In October 2021, Chief Paul Chinedu, President General of Nanka Community in Orumba North LGA, was murdered in presence of his wife and children.
In March of 2021, Francis Onwuachi, the President General of Omor Community, was abducted and murdered.
Reacting to these ugly incidents, ASATU National President, Titus Akpudo, a lawyer, said ASATU would no longer sit back and watch its members being slaughtered like chickens without any form of provocation, other than they are leaders of their communities. Residents of Anambra are optimistic that the New Year 2025 will usher an end to the intractable insecurity and unfettered violent crimes that has created a warlike atmosphere in the state.