The remains of 11 indigenes of Ebonyi State, who were killed at Ogbuoji in Orumba Local Government Area of Anambra State on May 30, 2025, have been laid to rest.
The state governor, Francis Nwifuru, expressed deep grief as the government bade them farewell on Thursday with a Holy Mass at Unity Square, Abakaliki.
Nwifuru, visibly moved, described the killings as barbaric, heartbreaking, and a monumental loss not only to the bereaved families but also to the entire Ebonyi people.
He lamented that the victims, whom he described as industrious sons and daughters, had merely gone in search of legitimate means of livelihood but were cut down in their prime by mindless attackers.
“I am in pain because these were innocent citizens who had no quarrel with anyone, yet their lives were brutally terminated. Ebonyi State mourns with heavy hearts today,” the governor said.
The interment, held amidst tears and sorrow, drew top government officials, community leaders, clergy, and sympathisers who came to pay their last respects.
Nwifuru reassured the bereaved families that his administration, in collaboration with relevant authorities, would ensure justice while also supporting them to rebuild their lives.
He further called for unity, vigilance, and fervent prayers against insecurity across the South-East and Nigeria at large.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Ikeuwa Omebeh, consoled the families, commended Governor Nwifuru for granting the deceased a state burial, and prayed for divine comfort for the bereaved and the entire state.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ekuma, announced that the state government would provide financial support to each of the bereaved families, ranging between five million and ten million naira, to enable them to start businesses and cushion the impact of their painful loss.
