By Cajetan Mmuta
Residents of Ogbunike in Oyi local government area of Anambra State have been thrown into mourning following a bloody rival secret cult war that left eight persons dead and over twenty others seriously injured when gunmen swooped on the area.
Findings revealed that the rampaging gunmen descended on their targets in the community on Monday night January 10, 2022.
It was learned that the gunmen invaded the community at about 8 pm and shot sporadically which left eight persons dead while 20 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
A source in the area said the gunmen came in a Mercedes Benz car 200 series and stopped at a popular public spot, “Shop Chyco’’ and shot one person and wounded five persons who sustained gunshot injuries.
According to the source, “We suspect someone popularly known as Biggy, from Ukalor Village, Ogbunike. Before the incident, his kindred denied him a shop for his business on grounds that he was an adopted son in his family.
He got angry and swore he will retaliate.
He said, “On arrival, they visited the home of the man that denied him the shop. As they did not see him, they shot a motorist in the man’s compound.”
“They also shot three persons; two boys and a woman at Osile Ogbunike, then stormed Ukalor, where they also shot other people,’’ the source stated..
It was further noted that residents of the community have been faced with incessant insecurity challenges in recent times.
The President- General of Ogbunike Community, Chief Chigozie Ikegwuru, said the incident had presented good grounds to thoroughly investigate and fish out the hoodlums.
Customs intercepts contraband from Benin Republic worth N7.8bn in 2021
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga when contacted said, “the state’s Police Response teams are currently at Ifite, Ogbunike and environs following a shooting incident that took place on January 10 at about 8 pm.”
He explained that “Preliminary investigation reveals that it is a cult-related clash involving two rival cult groups.
“The suspected cultists came in a Mercedes Benz 200 model and started shooting. As a result of the indiscriminate shooting, two injured persons were rescued by the police teams within the area. The injured were hospitalized.’’
Ikenga added that a mop-up operation was ongoing in the area.
