Tension In Awka As Suspected Cultists Kill Three

Suspected cultists have killed three persons in Awka, Anambra State raising tension among residents.

The recent violence is despite the launch of Operation Golden Dawn, a military operation in the South East created to check violence in the state.

Our correspondent gathered that two persons were gunned down opposite First Market, Ifite, while one person was killed behind the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Amaku, both in Awka South Local Government Area.

An eyewitness who spoke with our correspondent said both incidents happened between 4:15 – 4:30pm on Tuesday.

The source said, “These boys have started again. It is because the policemen are nowhere to be seen as a result of the “unknown gunmen”.

Panic has now enveloped residents of Awka, who had not witnessed such killings in recent times.

When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ikenga Tochukwu, said he had not been briefed on the issue.

He said, “As soon as the command receives the signal it would be made public.”

But a senior Police officer in the State, who did not want to be quoted, confirmed the incidents. He said it was not a case of unknown gunmen, but a case of cult clashes involving rival groups.