Peter Obi Dragged Over Brutal Killing of Ebonyians in Anambra

In what many have described as a chilling episode of violence, several Ebonyi indigenes were reportedly murdered in cold blood in Ogboji, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State. While the nation grapples with yet another tragedy, former Anambra Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is facing a torrent of criticism over what many call his deafening silence.

For days after the horrific incident, Obi maintained a studied quiet, prompting furious reactions across social media. Critics argue that a man who styles himself as a moral compass and defender of the downtrodden cannot selectively lose his voice when the victims happen to be non-Anambra Igbo communities.

“Blood is on their hands, and silence is complicity,” fumed Chika Nwosu, a youth activist from Ebonyi State. “When it was convenient, Obi rushed to issue statements on insecurity elsewhere. But now that Ebonyians have been butchered in Anambra, he suddenly has nothing to say. We are watching.”

Videos circulating online show anguished families wailing over the lifeless bodies of their loved ones. According to local sources, the victims were mainly traders and farmers, targeted by yet unidentified assailants. The gruesome nature of the killings has triggered fresh concerns about worsening insecurity in the Southeast.

More controversial still is the perception that prominent political figures only react to tragedies when it benefits their image. A trending hashtag, #ObiSpeakUp, has gained traction on X (formerly Twitter), with thousands demanding that Obi publicly condemn the killings and use his platform to press for justice.

Political commentators also point to the selective outrage that seems to define Nigeria’s political elite. “If this massacre had happened in Zamfara or Kaduna, Peter Obi and his supporters would be shouting on every platform,” said Adebayo Thomas, a public affairs analyst. “But because it happened in his backyard and involves Ebonyians, there is awkward silence. This hypocrisy must be called out.”

While Obi’s media team has yet to issue a formal response, the damage to his image among many in the Southeast—particularly in Ebonyi—is already mounting. Some have gone as far as accusing him of tacit complicity or, at best, wilful indifference.

As tension brews, questions linger: Will Peter Obi finally break his silence? Or will history record his indifference to the brutal killing of innocent Ebonyians as a dark stain on his political legacy?