Residents of Akwa, capital of Anambra State have been thrown into panic following sporadic shootings by some gunmen.
While some sources said no fewer than six persons have been shot and butchered dead, others claimed the facilities were nine.
Some suspected the gunmen to be cultists while others said they were hired killers sent to attack the state.
They invaded Ifite-Awka, near the school gate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, on Thursday morning, killing some persons.
Eyewitnesses’ accounts revealed that the gun-wielding hoodlums invaded the vicinity in the early hours of Thursday and opened fire on some persons, suspected to be members of another rival cult group, thereby causing chaos and panic in the area.
It was gathered that the suspected cultists were looking for members of the rival cult group who were said to be hanging around the vicinity of UNIZIK school gate.
One of the sources and a student of UNIZIK who witnessed the scene, said, “Over six persons were shot dead near Witness Garden, Ifite Amansea Road. The hoodlums invaded the area at about 9:30am today and started shooting at some persons suspected to be members of a cult group.
“One of our lecturers coming to school had to go back. She called me saying she saw seven lying persons lying dead.”
In a video sighted by The Point, some men were seen attacking some people in a white Hilux vehicle, attacking a man with a cutlass.
A resident of the state capital simply identified as Akwaugo claimed that nine people were shot dead and one person kidnapped near Wintess Garden, Ifite Amansea Road on Thursday.
The spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the development.
He said, “The Police responding team has taken over the scene of indiscriminate shooting today 24/10/2024 by 9:15 am at Ifite, behind Unizik gate, Awka by suspected gunmen.
“Preliminary information showed that the armed men unprovoked started shooting sporadically and some bullets fatally hit four persons in the area and were rushed to the hospital for aid by the police operatives. Also, some empty shells of bullets have been recovered at the scene.
“Meanwhile operations are ongoing in the area and further details shall be communicated, please.”
