Anambra Community Set for Mass Burial of Leadership War Victims, Seek Support

By Praise Chinecherem

Determined to restore peace and development in the crisis torn Ifite Nteje community, Oyi Local Government area, Anambra State, new caretaker committee of the community led by Chief Okwudili Muofunanya, is said to be perfecting arrangements to give a befitting mass burial ceremony to four persons allegedly murdered over leadership crisis.

The murdered persons included, Chukwuma Ezeani, Abuchi Ogugua, Samson Anukwu and Chinedu Nweze, excluding those who sustained various degrees of injuries.

To this end, the new executive paid a condolence visit to the different bereaved families of the deceased and informed them of its plan to organize a mass burial ceremony within this April 2025, for the four massacred sons of the community who lost their lives between 2021/2022 when the community was engulfed in leadership crisis that resulted in the killing of the four sons.

The committee chairman popularly called ‘skirt,’ by his admirers, made the disclosure in the community Amaokpo square when he presented the members of the committee to the community and begged for their massive support to enable the new executive forge ahead.

“Today we present ourselves to you as the new executive of Ifite Nteje community appointed by the President General, PG, Nteje Development Union, Dr Nnamdi Ilodiuba, to pilot the affairs of the community.

“Consequently nobody should work with the sacked Fabian Obi led executive or so called Land Management Committee as such dealing attracts severe sanctions.

“We are asking for your massive support to enable us perform up to your expectations and more than the successive administration. Worthy of note is that the immediate past executive refused to vacate office after the expiration of its tenure which prompted our appointment by the PG.

“I want to also say that the new executive has appointed three people for smooth running of the affairs of the community and they are the youth chairman, taskforce chairman and IGR chairman,” he further disclosed.

Speaking, his vice, Ejiofor Oginikanwa urged the Ifite youths to work in synergy with the new executive for rapid infrastructural development now that peace has been restored.

He recalled that refusal by past administration before the immediate sacked admiration to vacate office after expiration of her tenure caused the crisis that resulted in the murder of the four sons and accused the immediate past executive of trying to cause another massacre.

“Now we are going to have mass burial of those murdered this month of April and we have paid our condolences to the bereaved families and told them our plan and which they commended us and pledged their unalloyed support to us,” he revealed.

Contributing, Chief Charles U. Nwodidi, said he was in full support of the new executive and vowed to assist whenever called upon to do so.

He lamented the crisis in the area which resulted in the lost of four sons of the community adding that the new executive should be assisted to perform more than the immediate past executive.

He disclosed further that, “Before the end of the month we will give a befitting burial to the four murdered sons. Let everyone support the executive for speedy development and progress of Ifite community,” he charged.

Pastor Celestine Ezeani, elder brother to killed Chukwuma Ezeani, while commending the new executive for remembering to do the needful by according burial ceremony to the deceased, said it was what the immediate past executive ought to have done to ameliorate the pains of the bereaved families.

“I thank the executive led by Muofunanya and we are fully in support of you, this condolence is enough to show you are good leaders and we are with you,” he stated.

Pastor Celestine who was flanked by his sibling, Chinedu Nwoye, reiterated however that he will still seek justice against killers of his brother whenever he is ready to do so adding that he died untimely.

Chief Ikemefuna Egwuatu who is the chairman of Ojiani Ifite Nteje, and Chief Peter Anazodo, described the enthronement of the new executive as a welcomed development and urged the new executive to carry everybody along even as they expected it to perform beyond the achievements of past administration.

On the burial ceremony for the deceased sons the duo said it will make them to have peace and stop their souls from hovering around stating that caution should be taken to avert future occurance.

In their different remarks, representatives of the bereaved families that include, Elder Obichukwu Ogugua, who said he was devastated when he heard of the alleged killing of his brother, commended the executive for the proposed burual and urged them not to relent, while Mrs Tochukwu Anukwu, mother to late Samson expressed satisfaction over the burial plan even as Emeka Nweze, brother to murdered Chinedu Nweze, lauded the executive for work well done.