The Anambra Truth, Peace and Justice Commission has expressed worry as to why neither a coroner’s inquest nor investigation was conducted into the 2017 Ozubulu massacre, raising suspicion over some form of political connection to the incident.
On August 6, 2017, while Governor Willie Obiano was at the state’s helm of affairs, no fewer than 35 persons were killed and about 22 injured, when gunmen stormed St Philip’s Catholic Church, Ozubulu, during a morning mass.
Four months later, the incumbent governor then, Obiano, was to run for re-election, in a heated political season, with some persons fingered in the incident, deemed to be his political allies.
While a lot of conspiracy theories have come up as to why the gruesome murder of the worshippers, the Anambra Truth, Peace and Justice Commission, is concerned about how such a criminal act could be swept under the carpet without thorough investigation.
The Chairman of the Commission, Prof Chidi Odinkalu raised the concerns when he and members of the Commission presented their final report to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, at the Exco Chambers of the State Government House, Awka. The Commission was established by the Soludo administration, to investigate the remote and immediate causes of insecurity in the state and by extension, the South East region.
Presenting the report, Prof Odnkalu emphasized that some things must not be negotiable, if the state is to answer the light of the nation, stressing that the lives of citizens must not be toyed with.
“In August, 2017, Ozubulu massacre happened where people who came for morning mass, were gruesomely murdered by gunmen.
“In November same year, Anambra State conducted a governorship election.
“It is quite worrisome to note that there was no investigation into the matter and we are forced to ask, ‘whether there is a possibility that the investigation did not happen because of the election?
“Reports that should have been acted on in the past but because of political reasons, nothing was done about it.
“The Commission therefore recommends that some things must not be negotiable, if the state is to answer the light of the nation. The lives of the people must not be used to play politics. The government must use everything within its powers to protect the lives of the people,” he said.
Odinkalu while explaining their work, emphasized that it is totally wrong to attribute the insecurity in Anambra and the Southeast to the IPOB/ ESN. He also identified community leadership tussles, land disputes, inter-community boundary issues, and cult wars, as other major causes of the insecurity in many communities of the state and the Southeast.
He further revealed that their investigations found that the violence in the Southeast, can endanger the possibility of survival of the Igbo race.
He said, “The rape of our women, the killing of our youths, our young girls are waking up without legitimate partners, all these are existential threats to the survival of the Igbo race.
“In Ezinihite, Orsumoghu, Lilu, Orsu-Ihiteukwa in Imo state, Eziawa, Awa-Idemmili, Ihitenansa, there are lots of young girls who have disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
“Rape has become a recurring incident.
In fact, a source told us how young girls were abducted and gangraped at night. Even though the community knew about these atrocities, they were too afraid to speak out for fear of attack.
“During our work, many male witnesses came forth and testified but the young girls were too shocked to recount their experiences.
“We have also documented a register of victims of these atrocities, including traditional rulers, Presidents-General, and security men among others.
“The Commission surveyed 66 communities in the state, documenting cases of traditional rulers, security agents, presidents-general (PGs), and community members who have disappeared and remain missing”.
As a way forward, Professor Odinkalu stressed the need to de-emphasize the use of the term ‘unknown gunmen,’ especially by the media, to develop a 25-year security strategy to reform community governance and establish an agency for the protection of victims and accountability for violence.
Receiving the document, Governor Soludo commended Prof. Odinkalu, for his dedication in delivering the report, which he said has the potential to serve as a national framework for addressing security challenges.
Soludo expressed concerns about the impact of crime and violence on young people, calling their deaths a waste when their camps are invaded.
He pledged swift action based on the Commission’s recommendations, outlining plans to dissolve his cabinet into sub-committees to analyze and implement the recommendations.
The Governor emphasized the need for collaboration with federal agencies, regional governments, security services including the State Vigilante Group, and the local communities, stating his plans to share the report with national security agencies and work with neighboring states to address the cross-border nature of criminal activities.
The Governor reiterated his commitment to achieving sustainable peace in the region, assuring citizens that he will “read every sentence” in the report and ensure its recommendations are implemented for a safer future.
He stressed the importance of community involvement, including religious institutions, in tackling the challenges, describing the necessary approach as a “crusade” requiring collective action.
The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, members of the Anambra Executive Council, Secretary of the Commission, Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, and representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) were among those that attended the report presentation.
