There was confusion at Ebenebe in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Saturday when suspected cultists invaded a burial ceremony and gunned down some guests.
The gunmen reportedly struck while the corpse was laid at the deceased’s compound.
In a trending video, members of the community were seen wailing profusely as corpses littered the compound.
Spokesperson of the Anambra Police Command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, saying a rival cult gang was behind it.
“Yes, this morning (Saturday), there was an incident at Ebenebe. A burial was going on when some people suspected to be cultists invaded the area and started shooting,” he said
According to Ikenga, a preliminary investigation showed that a cult member was being buried and a rival cult group came and shot sporadically at people in the area.
He said the state commissioner of police, CP Echenge Echeng, had ordered the deployment of mobile policemen, special forces and a tactical team of the police in the area.
“We don’t the actual casualty figure now, but I will keep you informed once the picture becomes clearer. For now, the commissioner of police, CP Echeng Echeng has deployed tactical squads comprising of various units to the area to maintain calm,” he said.
The incident comes amid the heightened attacks in the South East.
