Gunmen have shot dead the President-General of Ogidi Community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ikwuka Okoye.
The attackers also killed his yet-to-be identified relative who was with the president-general during the attack.
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The incident, PREMIUM TIMES gathered, occurred on Friday night at a school field in the community.
The attack occurred shortly after local vigilante operatives in the community arrested and killed a suspected leader of a cult group in the area.
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There are speculations that the president-general and his relative were killed as revenge by the cult group whose leader was shot dead by the operatives.
But PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify this.
Police speak
The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, has confirmed the attack and killing of the victims.
In a statement on Saturday, Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said the police authorities in the state regret the incident.
The police spokesperson said the attack was “linked to the recent capture and killing of the notorious cultist” within the community.
“Following the report, police operatives swiftly took over the scene of the incident and commenced investigations.
“The Command is currently working with eyewitness accounts and other available intelligence to identify and arrest the perpetrators,” he said.
Mr Ikenga assured that the police in the state have intensified efforts to track down the attackers.
“Residents are urged to remain calm and cooperate with the police as investigations continue,” he said.
“Further developments will be communicated in due course.”
Worsening insecurity
Anambra is among the states worst hit by insecurity in Nigeria’s South-east.
Cultism, mixed with the deadly activities of separatist groups in Anambra, has complicated the security challenges in the South-eastern state.
The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a leading separatist group, has been linked to some of the deadly attacks in the state and region.
But the separatist group, which is seeking the secession of the South-east from Nigeria, has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks.
Meanwhile, aside from the attacks by suspected IPOB members, Anambra appears notorious for cult-related activities.
In June last year for instance, police foiled a cult initiation ceremony in Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state and arrested six suspects.
In October 2024, four people were killed in a clash between two rival cult groups in the community.
In July 2023, suspected cultists beheaded a rival cult leader in another community in Anambra, and in November 2022, six people were shot dead in Awka, Anambra, during a shootout between two rival cult groups, amongst a series of similar killings in the state.
By the way, Cultism, also known as secret societies, is outlawed in Nigeria.
The laws vary state by state. In Anambra State, for instance, cultism is outlawed in Anambra State Secret Cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law, 2024.
The law provides that any person who is a member of a secret cult, has committed an offence whether or not in possession of an offensive weapon.
The offender, according to the law, is liable on conviction to imprisonment for life or a minimum of 21 years imprisonment without an option of fine.
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