By Asuquo Cletus
Barely 24 hours after launching a comprehensive manhunt for the suspects responsible for the fatal shooting that claimed 10 lives, the Anambra State Police Command has arrested a man named Sunday Mbanu in connection with the killings in Ogboji, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Mbanu, one of the suspects alleged to have participated in the shooting during a public gathering, is currently assisting the police in their ongoing investigation to apprehend the remaining culprits.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the command’s spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed that the arrest followed a fact-finding mission led by the Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, who visited the crime scene with a Joint Security Team comprising operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other sister agencies.“Preliminary investigations revealed that the violence occurred during a meeting of a factional leadership of the Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes residing in the area,” he said.
According to Ikenga, the group had been entangled in a leadership dispute that had earlier prompted a petition to the President General of the Ogboji community. The matter was reportedly being handled through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) before it tragically escalated into violence.
“The son of the landlord confirmed that one of the victims was a tenant in their compound and provided details that the joint investigative team is currently working on,” he added.
He further stated that the Joint Security Team, while condoling with the people of Ebonyi State—particularly the families and friends of the deceased—also wished the injured a speedy recovery. The visit to the crime scene also included a courtesy call on the Traditional Ruler of Ekwulobia.
Meanwhile, the state police command has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that those responsible for the heinous crime are brought to justice.
It also urged residents to remain calm and continue supporting security agencies with useful information, emphasizing that the incident was not an ethnic attack but a tragic result of internal disputes exploited by criminal elements.
