Governor Soludo approved ₦15 million to support a mass burial in Ogwuaniocha, bringing closure to families affected by deadly violence.
Community leaders welcomed the gesture but called for urgent rebuilding of schools, homes, and key infrastructure lost to the crisis.
Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has approved the sum of N15 million to assist the Ogwuaniocha community in Ogbaru Local Government Area in conducting a mass burial for 43 of its residents who were killed during a violent communal conflict in November 2021.
The financial support was officially handed over by the Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Mr. Anthony Ifeanya, on behalf of the governor. The cheque was presented to Honorable Vitalis Ekweanua, President General of the Ogwuaniocha Progressive Association, during a meeting attended by various stakeholders from the community.
The 2021 communal clash, which erupted within the oil-rich community, not only claimed dozens of lives but also left many homes in ruins, displacing scores of residents who fled for safety.
Speaking during the presentation, Commissioner Ifeanya praised the community for embracing peace after years of unrest. He assured them that Governor Soludo is committed to rebuilding and bringing development to Ogwuaniocha. “Ogwuaniocha people must get everything due to them as a host community under the watch of Governor Soludo,” he said.
In his response, Honourable Ekweanua expressed appreciation for the financial support, describing it as a vital step towards honoring the lives lost during the crisis. He noted that the community had been working hard to restore peace and had already begun sourcing funds for the mass burial before the government’s intervention.
However, Ekweanua also drew attention to the dire state of the community, which, according to him, still lies in devastation nearly three years after the conflict. “The N15 million support is a welcome development, but the community is asking for more government presence in infrastructural development. Ogwuaniocha community is completely deserted and nothing good is happening here,” he said.
He lamented the destruction of basic amenities and social infrastructure in the area, revealing that schools and healthcare centers were either damaged or completely destroyed. “Our children no longer go to school because the entire schools in the community (Primary and Secondary Schools) were all destroyed during the communal crisis. As I speak, about 90 percent of the houses, including my house as the President General of the town, was destroyed beyond repair,” he added.
Ekweanua also voiced concerns about the oil company operating in the community. According to him, oil exploration has had severe environmental effects, including the halting of farming and fishing activities due to spillage. He said the company has yet to provide any form of compensation to residents affected by the pollution.
“For the past three years, we have been living in fear, pain and hunger as a result of the crisis. Our kidnapped traditional ruler is still missing since the crisis broke out in November 2021,” he stated with concern.
He appealed to Governor Soludo to go beyond the mass burial support by rehabilitating damaged infrastructure and providing essential services. He also urged the construction of a bridge at the Ulasi River to link Umunankwo with Ihiala Local Government Area. According to him, this would help reconnect Ogwuaniocha with surrounding communities and spur economic revival.
“We are therefore appealing to Governor Soludo to extend more of his kind-hearted agenda for Ndi-Anambra to our community by rehabilitating the affected facilities and also build us a bridge at Ulasi river to link Umunankwo with Ihiala local government area of the state. With this, I believe the community would regain its lost glory,” Ekweanua said.
He concluded by calling Governor Soludo a “God-sent” leader and pledged that the community would fully support his re-election bid during the upcoming governorship election on November 8, 2025.
