About 11 persons were on Sunday, gunned down at Nibo, a community in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Sources in the community said the incident happened at Oye Nwochichi Market, by Nibo Old Maternity, during the celebration of the Onwa Asaa festival, which heralds the New Yam Festival of the community.
The hoodlums were said to have stormed the beer parlor where the victims were said to be enjoying themselves and immediately opened fire on people.
It was further gathered that the yet-to-be-identified hoodlums came in a brown-colored Lexus 300 Jeep and carried out their operation, after which they immediately zoomed off to Eke Nibo Market, where they also gunned down more people.
A trending video showed the corpses of the victims littered all over the area in the pool of their blood.
When contacted, the Spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed the attack, affirming that it was a cult-related clash between rival cult groups.
He also added that the State Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, had ordered the deployment of additional operatives to the area, while also calling on witnesses to volunteer information for necessary action.
He said, “The Command is aware of a suspected cult-related clash today 20/10/2024 in Nibo, Awka South LG and the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam has ordered immediate deployment of additional operatives to the area for necessary action.
“Preliminary reports of the incidents are still sketchy as the Command calls on the witnesses of this incident to volunteer information that will help to identify the perpetrators for possible arrest.
“Be assured that information sent in this regard shall be treated with utmost confidentiality. You can call the Command Control Room at 07039194332 or the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) at 08039334002.”
