The Ozo Title ceremony in Amakor village, nestled in the Nanka Community of Orumba North Local Government Area, erupted into chaos when gunmen launched a brutal attack, kidnapping eight attendees and injuring twelve others.
Barrister Emmanuel Ilo, a distinguished Ozo title holder present at the celebration, recounted his narrow escape, crediting divine intervention. “I managed to flee just as the gunmen struck,” he said.
Witnesses described a scene of terror as armed men, some clad in police uniforms, stormed the venue without warning. “They wreaked havoc—scattering decorations, intimidating participants, and brutally assaulting many,” Ilo recounted. “I saw them kicking individuals mercilessly, pathos mixing with chaos.”
In the aftermath of the violent assault, the gunmen forcibly abducted several individuals, including Amakor village Chairman Barr. Obinna Ilo, along with Emerie Ilo, Sam Eminike, and Chief Asina Okafor, who were shoved into waiting Sienna vehicles and whisked away to an unknown fate. Others, lucky enough to evade capture, have since gone into hiding, gripped by fear.
The families of the abducted are left in anguish, their loved ones’ whereabouts shrouded in mystery as no communication has come from the kidnappers. “Their phones have been switched off since the attack,” Ilo lamented, the words heavy with despair.
The identities and motives of the assailants remain a chilling enigma, leaving the community in a state of apprehension. Ilo revealed that before the attack, his brothers, Mr. Peter Emerie Ilo and Chike Ilo, along with Madueke Nwafor, were being initiated into the Ozo society amidst the lively festivities.
“As the event approached its climax, armed men—including some with covered faces and backed by former village Chairman Mr. Chinedu Nwankwo and Caretaker Committee Chairman Mr. Ejike Nwafor—invaded the venue and unleashed chaos,” he recalled, shaking his head in disbelief.
When reached for comment, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, stated he was unaware of the incident and urged anyone with information to report to the nearest police station, a call that echoes hollow amidst the uncertainty gripping the community.
