The 2027 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Chief Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has condemned reported reprisal killings involving residents of Ebonyi and Anambra states, offering to pay the medical bills of victims and provide food assistance to affected families in both states in a humanitarian intervention announced on Monday, November 2, 2026.

Odii, popularly known as Anyichuks, made the appeal following rising tensions linked to the reported killing of Miss Mmesoma Umeorini in Uga, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, and subsequent attacks reportedly involving residents of the two neighbouring states.

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The incident has raised concerns about the safety of people living and doing business across the state boundaries, particularly Ebonyi indigenes residing in Anambra.

According to reports, the police arrested Chima Ofoeke, an Ebonyi indigene, in connection with Mmesoma’s killing. The incident was followed by reported retaliatory attacks, including the deaths of two Ebonyi men, alongside threats against other residents.

Odii, in a statement issued through his spokesperson, Emma Igwe, expressed sadness over the developments and condemned attacks against innocent people, regardless of their state of origin.

“There can never be any justification for taking innocent human lives under the guise of revenge. No community should be made to suffer for the alleged offence of an individual,” he said.

The PDP candidate stressed that criminal responsibility should remain individual rather than being extended to entire communities, warning that retaliatory violence could deepen tensions and undermine relationships built over generations.

He described Ebonyi and Anambra as sister states with longstanding cultural, commercial and family connections, urging residents not to allow individual criminal actions to create hostility between their communities.

Odii also appealed to young people, traditional institutions and community leaders to discourage inflammatory conduct and prevent further escalation.

As part of his proposed humanitarian response, the governorship candidate offered to settle hospital bills incurred by victims receiving treatment following the violence on both sides of the state boundary.

He also pledged to distribute bags of rice and other essential food items to affected families and communities to ease the financial and material difficulties arising from the unrest.

The intervention, according to Odii, was motivated by concern for human life and the suffering of affected residents rather than political, ethnic or geographical considerations.

“This gesture is not an endorsement of violence or an attempt to interfere with ongoing investigations. Rather, it is a demonstration that human life and suffering transcend ethnic and state boundaries,” he said.

His appeal comes against the backdrop of longstanding social and economic connections between Ebonyi and Anambra, whose residents share trading relationships, family ties and business interests.

The tensions have also prompted calls from community organisations for restraint. On October 26, 2026, the Ebonyi Unity Forum in Anambra State condemned reported killings in Aguata Local Government Area and warned against the stigmatisation of people based on their state of origin.

The organisation’s intervention highlighted concerns that individual criminal cases could become a source of wider communal hostility if residents resorted to collective blame or retaliation.

Against this background, Odii called on Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, to take urgent security and administrative measures to protect vulnerable residents and prevent further violence.

He also urged security agencies to strengthen surveillance, maintain public order and ensure that residents were protected irrespective of their ethnic or state identity.

The PDP candidate further called for those responsible for the initial killing and subsequent attacks to be identified, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Beyond government intervention, Odii appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth organisations and other community stakeholders to promote dialogue, reconciliation and confidence-building between affected communities.

He specifically urged Ebonyi indigenes living in Anambra and Anambra residents living in Ebonyi to remain calm and avoid actions capable of provoking further attacks.

Odii also cautioned journalists and social media users against circulating unverified information, inflammatory commentary and sensational reports that could worsen tensions.

He maintained that political interests, ethnic differences and personal grievances should never be allowed to justify violence against innocent Nigerians.

“Any political ambition, ethnic sentiment or personal grievance is not worth the blood of an innocent Nigerian,” he appealed.

In a further message underscoring his call for peaceful coexistence, Odii said: “Let the law take its course. Let the innocent be protected. Let the wounded receive treatment. Let the hungry be supported. Let peace return to our communities.”

He concluded with a message directed at residents of both states, saying: “Anambra and Ebonyi are brothers, not enemies.”

The latest development places renewed attention on the responsibility of political leaders, security agencies and community institutions to prevent localised criminal incidents from developing into broader communal conflicts.

For families affected by the violence, the immediate priorities remain access to medical treatment, personal safety and support for those whose livelihoods have been disrupted.

Odii’s proposed assistance offers a humanitarian response to some of those immediate needs, while his appeal for legal accountability and reconciliation reflects the wider challenge of restoring confidence between neighbouring communities.

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Whether the intervention will translate into lasting relief will depend on its implementation, alongside sustained efforts by government authorities, security agencies and local leaders to protect residents and prevent further violence.