Some gunmen, suspected to be cultists, have killed at least four people in Anambra State, south-east Nigeria.
The incident occurred in the late hours of Thursday at a burial event in Ezi Village, Ogidi, a community in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.
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The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement seen by PREMIUM TIMES on Friday morning.
How it happened
Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said the armed persons stormed the burial event and opened fire on guests, killing four persons at the spot while 15 others sustained “serious” gunshot injuries.
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“Police operatives from Ogidi Division, led by the divisional police officer, swiftly mobilised to the scene, restored normalcy, and immediately evacuated the (injured) victims to hospitals for medical attention,” he said.
The spokesperson said the police operatives recovered 16 expended cartridges during the operation in the area.
He said the police in the state have launched an investigation to identify and track down the attackers.
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“Further developments will be communicated in due course,” he stated.
Mr Ikenga hinted that preliminary findings suggest that the incident was connected to a clash between rival cult groups in the area.
He said the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Ikioye Orutugu, has condemned the incident.
Mr Orutugu assured residents of Anambra State that the police in the state were committed to ridding the state of cult-related violence and other criminal activities.
The commissioner urged residents to remain calm, security-conscious, and to continue to provide useful information to the police by reporting suspicious movements or persons for action.
Cultism in Anambra
Like many other parts of Nigeria, Anambra State has witnessed several incidents involving cultists.
In June, police foiled a cult initiation ceremony in Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state and arrested six suspects.
In October last year, four people were killed in a clash between two rival cult groups in the community.
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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.
Cultism, mixed with the deadly activities of separatist groups in Anambra, has complicated the security challenges in the south-eastern state, despite being outlawed in the state and other parts of the country.
The laws vary from state to state. In Anambra State, for instance, cultism is outlawed by the 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, and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for life or a minimum of 21 years imprisonment without an option of fine.
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