Gunmen suspected to be members of a rival cult group on Thursday night opened fire at a burial ceremony in Ezi Village, Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, killing four people and injuring 15 others.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers stormed the compound on motorcycles while family members were performing burial rites, firing indiscriminately at mourners before fleeing the scene.
“The assailants suddenly invaded the scene of the burial on Thursday and opened fire at the gathering, targeting some people who were present,” one local source told reporters, adding that mourners were forced to scamper for safety.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Friday, the police spokesperson in Anambra State, Superintendent Tochukwu Ikenga, said operatives from the Ogidi Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, responded swiftly and restored calm to the community.
Ikenga said the victims were immediately evacuated to hospitals for medical attention and that 16 expended cartridges were recovered from the scene as exhibits.
“Following a distress call in the late hours of September 11, 2025, that armed men suspected to be cultists invaded a burial ceremony at Ezi Village, Ogidi, Idemili North LGA, and opened fire on the attendees, resulting in the death of four persons while 15 others sustained serious injuries, police operatives swiftly mobilised to the scene,” Ikenga said.
He added that a discreet investigation had been launched to identify and apprehend the perpetrators, with preliminary findings linking the attack to a cult-related clash.
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Ikioye Orutugu, condemned the incident and assured residents of the command’s commitment to stamping out cult-related violence and other forms of criminal activity.
“The Command urges members of the public to remain calm, security-conscious, and to continue to provide useful information by reporting suspicious movements or persons to the nearest police formation,” the statement read.
The attack comes months after a similar violent incident during burial preparations in Ihiala Local Government Area. In January, seven people, including five police officers, were killed when gunmen invaded a compound ahead of a burial ceremony scheduled for January 2.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo, after visiting the January scene, placed a ₦10 million bounty on each of the suspects responsible for that attack.
