Ebonyi Forum Urges Calm After Two Reported Killings in Anambra

The Ebonyi Unity Forum in Anambra State has condemned two separate killings reported in Aguata Local Government Area and urged residents to reject retaliation and avoid stigmatising people because of their state of origin.

The incidents involved the alleged killing of 23-year-old Mmesoma Umeorini in Uga and the reported killing of an 18-year-old boy in Ori-Eri. According to the forum, the first case allegedly involved Umeorini’s boyfriend after she reportedly ended their relationship, while the second involved the boy’s father.

In a statement issued on Monday, the forum’s President-General, Chief Moses Ofoke, and Secretary, Aloke Stanley, said the incidents had caused grief and raised concerns about the profiling of some Ebonyi indigenes in the affected communities.

The group said it had received reports linking individuals from Ebonyi State to both incidents but stressed that the allegations required thorough investigation. It called for the circumstances surrounding the deaths to be established by the relevant authorities.

The forum disclosed that its representatives had visited the State Criminal Investigation Department in Anambra to seek information and engage with officials handling the cases. It also said an emergency meeting was held with the Traditional Leader of Non-Indigenes Living in Anambra State, HRH Igwe Amos Nkwuda, and other stakeholders.

Condemning violence, Ofoke said relationship disputes and family disagreements could not justify taking another person’s life. The forum extended condolences to the families of both victims and called on the Anambra State Police Command, the State CID and other security agencies to conduct impartial and transparent investigations.

The group also called for anyone found responsible to be prosecuted in accordance with the law. It emphasised that justice should be pursued through legal channels rather than community retaliation, warning residents against spreading unverified information or making inflammatory comments that could heighten tensions.

Reaffirming its commitment to peaceful coexistence, the forum said the alleged actions of individuals should not be used to judge the wider Ebonyi population. It urged traditional rulers, community leaders, youth organisations and other stakeholders to work together to preserve relations between Ebonyi indigenes and their host communities in Anambra State.