At least four people, believed to be herders, were killed on Tuesday morning when gunmen invaded a residential settlement in the outskirts of Agu-Ifite Awka, a community in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Police Confirm Attack and Casualties
The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, a superintendent, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday evening. He said the gunmen also razed about two huts within the settlement, slaughtered four cows, and other cattle during the attack.
“Operatives of the Police-led Joint Security team responded to the scene following a distress report. On arrival, four male victims with fatal injuries were discovered,” Ikenga stated.
“Preliminary observations revealed that the victims had their hands tied and sustained multiple injuries, including machete cuts and blunt force trauma,” he added.
Weapons and Evidence Found
The spokesperson said the police-led team observed that the attackers were armed with sophisticated weapons, including AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, double-barrel guns, and machetes.
“The police further observed four dead cows within the vicinity, while two other cattle had been slaughtered, with portions of the meat removed by the assailants. Some sacks containing abandoned chunks of meat were recovered a short distance from the scene,” he stated.
Although the police spokesperson did not specifically identify the victims, sources informed PREMIUM TIMES that the victims were herders residing at the settlement.
Condemnation and Investigation
Mr Ikenga said the police command has condemned the attack and launched an investigation to track down the gunmen.
“One of the survivors of the attack escaped unharmed and is assisting the police-led joint security team with useful information in their investigation,” he added.
The spokesperson said the police command has commiserated with the families of those killed, assuring that the police were committed to “conducting a thorough, professional, and intelligence-driven investigation” to ensure the perpetrators were prosecuted.
The police command urged Anambra residents to remain calm and cooperate with security operatives by providing “credible information” that may aid the ongoing investigation.
“Further developments will be communicated as the investigation progresses,” he assured.
Insecurity in the South-east
Like in other parts of Nigeria, killings and kidnap attacks have continued in the South-east in recent years. No group has claimed responsibility for the latest attack.
The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been linked to some deadly attacks in the region, although the separatist group has repeatedly denied any involvement. IPOB seeks secession of the South-east and parts of the South-south from Nigeria.
A recent PREMIUM TIMES special report revealed that attacks and killings have reduced by 50 per cent in the South-east since the arrest and imprisonment of a controversial Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, in Finland in 2025.
