Grief and anguish overwhelmed members of Lilu community in Ihiala Council Area of Anambra State as they marched to the Anambra Government House to seek urgent intervention from Governor Chukwuma Soludo. Among the group were youths, elderly men, and women, whose solemn expressions reflected the seriousness of their mission.

Speaking to the Secretary to the Anambra State Government (SSG), Solo Chukwulobelu, a spokesperson for the community identified as Emeka, explained that they had to abandon the burial of two kinsmen midway after receiving news that two other victims of last Sunday’s attack had succumbed to machete wounds while undergoing treatment. Emeka recounted that the attacks on their community began several years ago, with the first incident claiming 11 lives. Last Sunday's massacre claimed nine more, bringing the total death toll from the recent wave of violence to 20.

He revealed that some victims were abducted by the attackers, who claimed they were taking them for sacrifices to their gods. Emeka pleaded for immediate intervention, lamenting that survival in Lilu has become a daily struggle, with residents being kidnapped, slaughtered, or disappearing without a trace. He further disclosed that 85% of the community has fled to neighboring towns for safety, leaving behind a near-empty village where no household has been spared from the pain of losing a member to violence. He added that speaking out against the attacks often leads to the speaker being killed the next day.

The protesters carried placards with messages such as “Soludo, rescue us,” “Lilu is on the verge of extinction,” and “Is Lilu actually in Anambra State?”

The community’s traditional ruler, Igwe Godson Onyediri, also appealed to the governor for urgent intervention, describing the murder and decapitation of Venerable Gabriel Obiesie’s wife, who was burned alongside their children, cars, and the parsonage of St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, as sacrilegious, inhuman, and an abomination. He condemned the burning of the church and other properties, calling the atrocities a violation of their community’s dignity.

In response, Chief Chukwulobelu commended the community for maintaining peace despite the provocations and assured them that Governor Soludo was aware of their plight and actively working to restore peace in Lilu and other troubled areas of the state. He collected their placards and promised to present their grievances to the governor later in the day.