Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has approved the sum of N15 million for the oil-rich Ogwuaniocha community in Ogbaru Local Government Area to facilitate the mass burial of 43 residents who lost their lives during a violent communal crisis in November 2021.
The State Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Anthony Ifeanya, presented the cheque on the governor’s behalf to the President General of Ogwuaniocha Progressive Association, Honourable Vitalis Ekweanua, in the presence of community stakeholders.
The crisis not only led to the loss of lives but also destroyed numerous homes, displacing many residents.
While commending the community for sustaining peace, Ifeanya affirmed Governor Soludo’s commitment to initiating developmental projects in the area.
“Ogwuaniocha people must get everything that is due to them as a host community under the watch of Governor Soludo,” the commissioner said.
Honourable Ekweanua, in receiving the cheque, expressed deep gratitude for the governor’s support, noting that the community had been struggling to raise funds for the mass burial as part of broader peace-restoration efforts.
He, however, lamented the dire state of the community, noting that despite the intervention, Ogwuaniocha remains largely deserted and in need of urgent rehabilitation.
“The N15 million support is a welcome development, but the community is asking for more government presence in infrastructural development.
Our children no longer attend school because all the schools—primary and secondary—were destroyed during the crisis. About 90% of the houses, including mine, were destroyed beyond repair. Our healthcare facilities were also affected,”** he said.
He further spoke on the fallout from oil exploration activities in the area, saying farming and fishing had been halted due to oil spills, and that affected residents had yet to receive any compensation.
“For the past three years, we have lived in fear, pain, and hunger. Our traditional ruler has remained missing since the crisis began in November 2021,” he added.
The President General called for Governor Soludo’s urgent intervention in rebuilding infrastructure and constructing a bridge across the Ulasi River to link Umunankwo with Ihiala Local Government Area.
He described Soludo as a “God-sent governor” and assured him of the community’s total support for his re-election bid in the November 8, 2025 governorship election.