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Four Killed in Cult-Related Shooting Attack at Anambra Market

AWKA, Nigeria — A violent attack at a local market in Anambra State has left four people dead, in an incident police have attributed to a clash between rival cult groups.

The Anambra State Police Command confirmed the fatalities in a statement released on Monday by its spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga. The shooting occurred on the evening of Sunday, December 7, 2025, at the Afor Nawfia Market, located along the Onitsha-Awka Old Road in the Njikoka Local Government Area.

According to the police statement, assailants arrived at the market junction in a black Lexus Jeep with an unconfirmed registration number and "opened fire indiscriminately" before fleeing the scene. The attack caused panic, with residents and traders scrambling for safety.

"The violent attack resulted in the death of four persons, after which the assailants fled the scene," SP Ikenga stated. He added that although the perpetrators escaped before police arrival, investigators had gathered "useful leads" from the scene and were actively working to track down and arrest those responsible.

Proactive Police Efforts Preceded Attack

The police statement revealed that the Command had prior intelligence about planned cult violence. Four days before the market shooting, operatives from the Special Anti-Cult Squad in Enugwu-Ukwu had arrested two "dangerous suspects" and recovered a firearm.

"The arrested suspects have been assisting the Police with valuable information aimed at preventing further cult-related violence within Awka and its environs," Ikenga noted. Despite these efforts, members of the same gang allegedly carried out the deadly assault.

Eyewitnesses Describe Chaos and Carnage

Residents of the Nawfia community described a scene of terror and confusion. One source in the area stated that the armed hoodlums "invaded Afor Market Junction and immediately opened fire, killing a lot of people." The source added that the attack had left the community deeply shaken.

An eyewitness near the scene recounted the sudden violence: "It was chaos. The attackers came out of nowhere this evening in a commando-like fashion and started shooting indiscriminately."

Video footage circulating online in the aftermath of the attack showed community members running for cover, with several lifeless bodies visible on the ground.

SP Ikenga reaffirmed the Command's "resolute" determination to rid the state of cultism and violent crime, promising that further developments would be communicated as the investigation progresses.


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