Terrorists struck without warning on Friday evening, February 6, 2026, as they gunned down Chief Ikwuka Okoye, the respected president-general of Ogidi community in Idemili North Local Government Area, along with an unidentified resident at the local school field.
The assailants, linked to the Aye Black Axe cult group, left a chilling handwritten note at the scene, threatening further violence with phrases like “The beginning is small” and listing potential targets, including community figures.
Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos, where the terrorists ambushed the victims amid escalating tensions in the area.
Okoye, a non-cultist known for his leadership in the community, fell victim to what authorities believe was a reprisal strike.
Just days earlier, on February 3, local security forces arrested Emma Amasco, a notorious Aye hit squad leader infamous for serial killings, drug addiction, and theft.
Amasco, who confessed to murdering 46 people—including 17 in Ogidi alone—succumbed to injuries after security personnel shot him in the leg during the operation.
The terrorists blamed Okoye and local security for Amasco’s death, fueling their deadly retaliation.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Command sprang into action, securing the crime scene and initiating a manhunt for the perpetrators.
Spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga confirmed the incident and emphasized that officers rely on eyewitness accounts and intelligence to track down the culprits.
“We assure the public that justice will prevail,” Ikenga stated, urging residents to stay calm and provide tips to aid the investigation.
Furthermore, this attack underscores the persistent scourge of cult-related terrorism in southeast Nigeria, where groups like Aye have sown fear through unchecked violence.
Since 2021, such clashes have claimed thousands of lives, enforced disappearances of hundreds, and displaced residents from over a dozen communities, including Ogidi itself, turning areas into ungoverned zones.
In Anambra towns like Obosi, Awka, and Onitsha, cults thrive amid drug trafficking and territorial wars, exacerbating the cycle of bloodshed.
In addition, community leaders and activists call for stronger government intervention to dismantle these terrorist networks.
As investigations continue, Ogidi mourns its fallen leader, while fears of more reprisals linger, prompting heightened vigilance among residents and security forces alike.
