Survivors of the suspected rival cult attack that claimed 12 lives in Nibo, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, have shared their harrowing experiences, attributing their survival to divine intervention. The attack, which occurred during the community’s annual Ọnwa Asaa festival celebrating the new yam, shocked residents and left many mourning.
The security director and commander of the community vigilante group, Wadada, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, noting that the festival, a cherished event for Nibo natives, was tainted by bloodshed. He recalled, “The attackers arrived in two vehicles, a Lexus Jeep and a Sienna, both without license plates. They passed through police checkpoints and the Governor’s Lodge, before opening fire on a group of people in a shop.” Among those killed was one of his vigilante members, Uchenna Obiekwe, a young unmarried man.
Wadada revealed that several others were injured, including the shop owner and his six-year-old daughter, who sustained gunshot wounds to their legs. He remained uncertain about the identity of the attackers, whether they were cultists, unknown gunmen, or armed robbers. Reflecting on his own survival, he said, “It was by God’s grace I left the scene before they arrived.”
Another survivor, Ichie Oku, who works at the Anambra State Ministry of Information, recounted his narrow escape from death. “I was at a joint on Sunday when they arrived. One of them pointed a gun at me, but another gang member intervened, saying I wasn’t their target. The shooter still pulled the trigger, but his colleague pushed him, and the bullets hit the wall behind me.” Oku witnessed the killing of three people beside him, and moments later, the attackers returned to claim five more lives.
In less than five minutes, the assailants had killed 12 people, with Oku mourning the loss of two family members. Governor Chukwuma Soludo visited the community to console grieving families and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. Soludo reiterated his commitment to combating cultism in Anambra, as the attack cast a shadow over the city of Awka, with commercial activities coming to a halt due to the Monday sit-at-home order.