The Anambra State Police Command has attributed the unfortunate attack that led to the killing of 10 Ebonyi State indigenes at Ogboji, Orumba South Local Government on Monday to a leadership squabble in the association binding Ebonyi people of the area.

It was gathered that armed criminals riding in two Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) had attacked the gathering of the indigenes unprovoked, shooting sporadically and killing 10 people, with others sustaining injuries.

The State Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, who led a joint security team comprising the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other sister agencies to the scene of the incident, announced the arrest of one Sunday Mbanu in connection with the incident.

He had reiterated that the incident was not a targeted attack on any indigenes of any state but a cowardly action of the common enemies of the state.

Police Public Relations Officer for the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, stated in a press release that the meeting, which led to the incident, involved the factional leadership of Ebonyi indigenes residing in Ogboji, Orumba South Local Government Area of the State.

“It was alleged that the association had earlier complained and written a petition to the President General of Ogboji without recourse to the security agencies”, he said.

He added that during the interaction with some stakeholders of the Community, including the Traditional Prime Minister, President General of the Ogboji Community, and the son of the landlord where the meeting was held, several other revelations were made.

“There is a leadership squabble in the Association of Ebonyi State indigenes in the area.

“The President General was trying to use an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) strategy to resolve the issue, but it escalated to a record of the unfortunate incident.

“The son of the landlord confirmed that one of the victims is a tenant in their compound and gave some details that the joint investigative team are working on”, he disclosed.

Ikenga conveyed the sympathies of the Joint Security Team to the people of Ebonyi State, especially the family and friends of the deceased, while wishing the injured a quick recovery.

He restated the commitment of the Anambra State Police Command to ensuring that the perpetrators of the heinous crime are brought to justice.