David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
At least six youths were reportedly killed in Awka, the capital of Anambra State on Easter Sunday, during a clash by rival cult groups.
It was gathered that while some were felled at Okpuno area, some others were killed around Dike Street, near Eke Awka market, while another happened at Obinagu area.
This came as the police arrested a man in Awada, Idemili North Local Government Area, with an AK 47 rifle, concealed in a bag, said to have been procured by a sponsor of a cult group, to tackle rivals.
Easter day shooting in Awka was the first, after a very long while. Awka is notorious for cult clashes, but through police efforts and recent threat of arrests by police authorities in the state, cult killings had disappeared.
According to sources, the Sunday incident happened in the afternoon at Eke Awka area, and also escalated to the other parts of Awka, where some more persons were gunned down by the cultists.
It was gathered that one of the persons hit by bullet was a staff of the Anambra State Judiciary, identified as Mr. Nwofor, believed to be going about his normal business before the cultists struck.
A video trending on the social media, showed bodies of two of the persons gunned down in the clash. While one of the victims was seen still struggling in pains for his dear life in the pool of his blood beside his motorcycle where he fell, passersby were seen scampering to their safety.
Meanwhile, police in the state have arrested a man carrying a bag containing an AK 47 rifle in Awada, Idemili North Local Government Area.
The man, who was arrested during the Easter holiday, on sighting the police, took to his heels and was chased, apprehended and searched.
A press release by the state police command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said, “When the bag was searched it was found to contain an AK-47 rifle with breech No. 25008266.
“Search of database has shown that it was not among firearms on charge to Anambra State Command. On interrogation, suspect disclosed that the weapon was procured for a showdown with a rival cult group.”
Ikenga said the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Aderemi Adeoye, commended the police Officers who made the recovery for their vigilance and tenacity, and directed that the investigation be widened to bring to book all those connected with the arms trafficking including an alleged financier abroad who provided funds for the purchase.
