Dark Saturday @Ebenebe as suspected cultists kill mourners - ITREALMS [viewers discretion pls]

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Some 20 mourners were killed by suspected cultists at Umuogbuefi Village Ebenebe with many others left critically injured during the burial rites of late Ozo Chibuike Joseph Chukwuka on Saturday, February 26, reports ITREALMS.

Late Ozo Chibuike Joseph Chukwuka

Late Ozo Chibuike, a suspected cultist died at the age of 34 after a gun shot at the Amansea Produce Checkpoint, Anambra State on December 30, 2021 by suspected rival gang.

ITREALMS gathered that after the assassination of late Ozo Chibuike, the rival gang had sent emissary that he should not be given a ‘befitting burial’ unfortunately their threat was not adhered to so they carried it out to the letter.

According to his burial arrangement as announced by his brother Obinna Aloysius Chukwuka on behalf of the family, and available to ITREALMS, wake keep was to be held at his compound on Friday, February 25, 2022 while burial and funeral proper was scheduled for Saturday, February 26, 2022 at the Umuogbuefi Primary School, Umuogbuefi Village, Ebenebe, Awka-North LGA, Anambra State.

Corpse of late Ozo Chibuike, after the attack at his funeral

ITREALMS gathered that it was at the primary school ground during the funeral rites that the cultists struck and shot sporadically and directly on the mourners, thereby leaving scores dead.

A source from Awka capital of Anambra informed correspondent that it was a leadership tussle between the Ebenebe man (Ozo) who schemed and pushed out the former Chairman of the Produce Association which operate between Amansea and Ugwuoba. “That is, the levy collectors or task force. So the guy plotted and assassinated him and waited for his burial to finish up. Mkpulu mmili at work,” unnamed sources alleged.

Also the source blamed Mkpulu mmili for their kind of activism, alleging that late Ozo Chibuike must have been a bad person to attract this kind of atrocities on the Ebenebe land.

Yes, another source, a native of Ebenebe, Mr. Godwin Okpala, alleged that late Ozo Chibuike on his Facebook page wrote, … “He was a member of a strong cult, he was feared by all and very dangerous. He was even among those that led gangs to kill police, burn their stations and cart their guns away that many of our people were hailing, then later, he died by the sword; he was shot dead in December and his rival gangs warned that he should not be given a proper burial.

“They warned that if they do, many heads will fall and it did fall. They carried out their threat. And now many innocent people that knew nothing were among the dead. My own cousin was among the dead. Very bad day in Ebenebe,” he said.

According to a source in a viral video, some of the mourners hit by gunshots were taken to the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital at Amaku, Awka.

“My brother is among those injured and we have been at the hospital since 11 a.m. trying to ensure that they stabilize him,” he said.

ITREALMS equally gathered that one of the victims identified as Osita was also killed along his brother during the attack.

The Anambra State Police command has confirmed the incident, saying that it was a case of cult rivalry, as said by the spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident.

“A burial was going on when some people suspected to be cultists invaded the area and started shooting. I do not have details of casualties now, but I will keep you informed once the picture becomes clear,” he said.

Some victims of the attack at late Ozo Chibuike funeral

Ikenga also said that for now, “the Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng has dispatched tactical squads comprising of various units to the area to maintain calm.”

Ebenebe is a town located along the Amansea, Ebenebe, Ugbenu, Ugbene, Awba-Ofemili road in the Awka-North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria and is reputed for high produce of agricultural commodities in the state.