OKIGWE KILLINGS: ACHONU CONDEMNS ATTACK, URGES NDIGBO TO END SELF-DESTRUCTION
By Kelechi Ugo
Former Labour Party governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections, Senator Athan Nneji Achonu, has strongly condemned the brutal killing of five persons in Ezinachi, Okigwe Local Government Area, describing the attack as a "shameful act" and a "grave indictment" on local and state leadership.
In an interactive session with journalists, Senator Achonu decried the murder of Mr. Emeka Ezeagwula, Mrs. Blessing C. Ezeagwula, Mr. Ejike Otuonye, Mr. Chidi Chineke, and one unidentified individual, allegedly carried out by gunmen who stormed the community unchallenged. The killings reportedly occurred shortly after the withdrawal of military personnel from the area.
“This is not just a tragedy but a disgrace,” Achonu stated. “It exposes the failure of governance at both the local and state levels. LGA chairmen must take charge, mobilize their communities, work with security agencies, and ensure the protection of lives and property.”
Achonu emphasized that federal allocations to local governments must be directly felt at the grassroots level through improved security infrastructure and proactive leadership.
While acknowledging the efforts of Okigwe youths who recently formed a vigilante group, the senator warned that without proper training, equipment, and coordination with formal security forces, such efforts could prove counterproductive.
“We must strengthen these brave youths, not abandon them,” he said. “Untrained and unsupported, they remain vulnerable.”
Making a passionate appeal to the Igbo nation, Achonu urged an end to internal violence and fratricide. Quoting proverbs in Igbo, he said, “Onye gbụrụ nwanne ya abụghị dike” (He who kills his brother is no warrior) and “Ife kwulu, ife akwudebe ya” (Nothing stands alone; our survival depends on unity).
“Enough is enough,” Achonu declared. “We cannot continue to destroy ourselves while outsiders benefit from our divisions and pain.”
The senator extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and called for immediate, community-led security partnerships, investment in local intelligence gathering, and the promotion of unity across Igbo land.
“History will not forgive us if we allow our villages to become graveyards,” he warned. “The time to act, and to unite, is now.”
