Residents of Egbuoma Autonomous Community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State have issued a 30-day pre-legal action notice to the Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led Anambra State government over alleged “repeated cross-border attacks, abductions, and killings” by operatives of the dreaded Uli Central Vigilante Group operating from Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The community issued the pre-action notice in a petition dated September 30, 2025, and addressed to Anambra State Governor Soludo, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Anambra State Commissioner for Justice, the Anambra State Commissioner for Homeland Security and Vigilante Matters, and the Anambra State Commissioner of Police.
In the petition written through their legal representative, Barrister Ezennia Denton Ogbuehi, Principal Partner of Crown & Council Law Partners, and obtained by SaharaReporters, the community accused the Anambra-recognised vigilante outfit of “grave human rights violations” resulting in deaths, torture, and destruction of properties since 2022.
The community cited several legal provisions, including Section 46 of the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, warning that failure by the Anambra government to act within 30 days would lead to a lawsuit at the Federal High Court.
SaharaReporters had reported that the Ndikeokwu-Uli vigilante outfit, in collusion with the Nigerian Army and some politicians, was accused of unleashing terror on communities in Ihiala, Anambra State, and parts of Imo State.
According to witnesses, the vigilantes were alleged to be responsible for the deaths of at least 30 residents of Uli and Egbuoma since 2022, while dozens more have been abducted, tortured, or forced to pay millions in ransom.
The vigilante group in Anambra State was also accused of committing widespread human rights abuses, including killings, abductions, torture, and extortion, allegedly in collaboration with military personnel and wealthy political actors.
The Intersociety, in a report sent to SaharaReporters last week, had noted that the vigilantes, often without investigation, raided the youths and labelled them as “the unknown gunmen” to extort money from the families and torture them.
The petition dated September 30, 2025, and addressed to Prince Ken Emeakai, the Special Adviser on Community Security to the Anambra State Governor and Ikioye Orutugu, Commissioner of Police, noted that the Ndikeokwu-Uli Vigilante Outfit often falsely labelled their victims as members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Eastern Security Network (ESN), a pretext to justify extrajudicial killings across the South-East.
The Imo community residents in their petition said that no fewer than 10 indigenes of Egbuoma had been killed by operatives of the Uli Central Vigilante Group between 2022 and 2025.
The petition named Sunday Onyebuchi, Chijioke Mgbeobu, Livinus Mmuo, Happiness Okorie, Stainless Ogunji, Ikechi Obiejemba, Uchenna Ahize, Chidi Ohanyele, Onyebuchi Okorie, and Nwute as identified victims who were killed by the dreaded vigilante group.
According to the petition, the community said it also documented cases of abductions, torture, and extortion.
The community noted, “Disturbingly, the assailants operate under underworld-style nicknames such as “AK-47,” “Oba Ehi 2/c De Killer,” and “AD De Killer,” with published mobile numbers openly used for extortion, further evidencing their organised-criminal modus operandi.”
The Imo community alleged that one Achiose Odemgbe was abducted in July 2024 and released only after his family paid N2 million, while one Kosarachi Ohajiuba, abducted in June 2025, remains missing despite ransom demands.
The petitioners claimed that several residential buildings were razed, including those belonging to late community members and traders whose properties at Afor-Egbu Market were allegedly looted in a daylight raid by the Uli vigilante group on July 11, 2025.
“The operatives have also wantonly burned and looted properties belonging to Egbuoma indigenes,” the petition stated.
“At least ten (10) residential houses have been razed since 2022, including those belonging to Late Clement Ajari, Late Lolo Odalanya Obiwuru, David Ohajuba, Marcel Obidiukwu and Ikechukwu Ben.
“During a broad daylight raid of July 11, 2025, the assailants opened fire at Afor-Egbu Market (Ebenano Village), looted personal and commercial properties and destroyed legitimate means of livelihood.”
The petitioners noted that the Uli Central Vigilante Group operates under the Ministry of Homeland Affairs and the Anambra Vigilante Services, both organs of the Anambra State Government.
By virtue of this supervision, the petitioners argued that the state government bears “direct and vicarious liability” for the group’s cross-border activities, which it described as “a threat to inter-state peace and security.”
The petitioners added, “The continuing reign of terror by the Uli Central Vigilante Group has left our clients in perpetual fear of life, liberty, and property, creating imminent risk of inter-communal bloodbath between Uli (Anambra) and Egbuoma (Imo).”
The community said several petitions had been previously submitted to Anambra state officials, including Governor Soludo, the Commissioner of Police, and the Special Adviser on Community Security, but the attacks allegedly continued unabated.
“The persistence of these violations, notwithstanding repeated petitions and formal notifications (Exhibits A–E), demonstrates the Government of Anambra State’s failure of duty of care and constitutional responsibility under Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution, which mandates that ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,’” the petitioners noted.
The Egbuoma community demanded, “Immediate cessation and permanent discontinuance of all unlawful cross-border attacks, abductions, torture, killings, and destruction of property by operatives of the Uli Central Vigilante Group or any other vigilante outfit established, armed, recognised, or supervised by the Government of Anambra State through its Ministry of Homeland Security and Anambra Vigilante Services.
“Immediate release of all persons abducted from Egbuoma Autonomous Community, Oguta LGA, Imo State, and its environs, and restoration of their liberty without further harassment.
“Prompt arrest, investigation, and prosecution of all identified perpetrators of the atrocities, including members of the said vigilante group and their sponsors, to serve as a deterrent against further inter-communal hostilities.
“Payment of the sum of N10,000,000,000 as general and exemplary damages to the victims and people of Egbuoma Autonomous Community, Oguta Local Government Area, Imo State, for the grievous loss of lives, torture, trauma, destruction of properties, disruption of livelihoods, and the continuing fear and insecurity they have suffered.
“Issuance of a full-page public apology in not less than five (5) national daily newspapers, and on prime-time news bulletins of AIT and TVC, acknowledging the atrocities committed by the Anambra State-recognised vigilante group and assuring that such violations shall not recur.”
The community warned that failure to comply within 30 days would compel them to approach the Federal High Court for enforcement of their fundamental human rights.
SaharaReporters reported on Monday that the Anambra State government-controlled security outfit, Agunaechemba, had commenced a probe into the activities of the Ndikeokwu-Uli vigilante outfit over allegations that it has been involved in widespread abductions and abuse of human rights of the residents.
The Agunaechemba outfit probe followed SaharaReporters’ earlier report on the alleged terror activities of the vigilante group in the area.
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