Residents say Fulani terrorists, not IPOB, attacked Arondizuogu

DDM News

(DDM) – A growing wave of doubt has trailed recent reports linking the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to a violent attack on several communities in Imo State.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that concerned residents from Arondizuogu in Ideato North Local Government Area have strongly rejected the official narrative pushed by state authorities.

The attack, which reportedly took place in the early hours of Friday, July 25, 2025, left over seven people dead and several others injured.

Communities affected include Ndi-Ejezie, Umualaoma, and Ndiakuwata Uno, all located in Arondizuogu, a region with deep cultural and historical roots in Igboland.

According to a police statement issued by the Imo State Command’s spokesperson, DSP Okoye Henry, the assailants were “suspected IPOB members.”

The statement described the attack as “barbaric, inhumane, and totally unacceptable.”

It also confirmed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, had deployed tactical teams to comb the affected areas and restore peace.

He assured the public that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.

However, some residents of the affected communities have come forward to dispute the official account.

A youth leader in Umualaoma, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisal, told DDM that the attackers spoke Hausa and wore unfamiliar military-style uniforms.

He insisted that “those people were not IPOB. They were Fulani terrorists who have been infiltrating our forests for months now.”

Multiple eyewitnesses confirmed that the gunmen arrived in two Hilux vehicles and on motorcycles, using what appeared to be military-grade weapons.

They reportedly moved from house to house, killing and maiming victims indiscriminately.

A local vigilante commander from Ndi-Ejezie said, “This has nothing to do with IPOB. We know IPOB members here. They don’t attack their own people.”

He further alleged that the rising insecurity in the area coincides with the arrival of strange herdsmen around Imo’s border communities.

Civil society groups have condemned the hasty attribution of the attacks to IPOB without thorough investigation.

According to the Eastern Security Watch Initiative, blaming IPOB without evidence only diverts attention from the real perpetrators.

In the wake of the massacre, displaced villagers are calling on the state government and federal authorities to investigate Fulani militia activity in Imo forests.

They also demand the immediate withdrawal of any security personnel allegedly aiding cover-ups.

A retired police officer in Arondizuogu warned that politicizing such killings will only deepen mistrust and insecurity in the region.

As of press time, no arrests had been made.

The atmosphere remains tense, with residents urging independent investigations to uncover the true identities of the killers.

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook