On the night of September 28, 2022, a southeastern Nigerian family’s life was shattered when armed, masked men violently attacked their home.
The son of Samuel Ogbonna, a town coordinator and prominent member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), described how the attackers forced their way into their home as he and his wife prepared to relocate to the United Kingdom.
He said, “Around 10:00 pm as my wife and I were preparing for our relocation to the United Kingdom, thanks to her newly acquired visa, our home in southeastern Nigeria was violently attacked by armed, masked men.” These men were later identified as members of the state-backed vigilante group known as Ebube Agu.
The son explained the group’s mission: “Their mission was to abduct and eliminate my father Samuel Ogbonna, a town coordinator and prominent member of the IPOB.”
He added, “IPOB is a movement seeking the restoration of the sovereign state of Biafra. Its members and supporters have been subjected to brutal crackdowns by the Nigerian government. The state always deploys military forces, police units and affiliated groups like Ebube Agu to intimidate, harass, arrest, and in many cases eliminate IPOB members and sympathisers.”
Describing the attack, he recalled, “That night, eight men stormed our home while we were packing for our journey to the UK. They found my wife, father and me. What followed was a nightmare that still haunts me.”
He revealed that his wife “was assaulted in front of me,” his father “was dragged outside and executed,” and that “when I tried to resist one of the assailants stabbed me in the left hand.” He said he “barely managed to escape into the bush, where I hid until they left. Our house was then set ablaze.”
The family reported the attack to local police, and the son said he “identified one of the attackers, someone whose mask had slipped during the struggle.” However, he later “discovered that these men operated with the silent support of the government. Reporting them only increased the risk to our lives.”
The son stressed the ongoing danger, saying, “Despite the trauma and loss, my wife and I will be leaving to the UK as these people are keeping track of us and my wife is in fear of being in Nigeria anymore and this has put a dent in our marriage.”
He revealed that “the attackers have continued to monitor us and threaten our lives persistently.”
Both he and his father “were declared wanted by the Nigerian authorities on September 20, 2022, shortly before the attack.”
The father’s death certificate was issued just a day after the attack, on September 29.
He concluded with a warning: “Returning to Nigeria would certainly mean death after we leave because my safety isn’t assured, and not just my safety, but the truth of what is happening to Biafrans who dare to speak up.”
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