David Oladimeji
The Anambra State Police Command has intensified operations across the Awka axis following a deadly cult attack that left four persons fatally injured at the busy Afor Nawfia Market on Sunday evening, 7th December 2025. The tragedy, which occurred along the Onitsha–Awka Old Road, sent shockwaves through the community and renewed concerns about resurgence of cult violence in the State.
According to police authorities, the incident unfolded when a group of armed assailants stormed the market in a black Lexus Jeep with an as-yet unidentified registration number. Witnesses say the gang opened fire without warning, sending traders scrambling for safety as gunshots echoed through the evening air.
The brazen attack comes just days after the Command’s Special Anti-Cult Squad in Enugwu-Ukwu carried out a preventive operation to thwart a planned confrontation between rival cult groups. Acting on reliable intelligence, operatives had arrested two suspected cultists and recovered a firearm from them, a move the police believed would weaken the gang’s operational capacity.
Those arrests, according to the Command, yielded valuable intelligence that was being used to disrupt further cult activity around Awka and neighbouring communities. However, despite these efforts, remnants of the same gang regrouped and executed the violent assault that has now dominated public discourse in the area.
Police sources say the attackers fled the market before security operatives could arrive, navigating the chaos they had created to make a swift escape. But even in their absence, officers immediately secured the scene and began gathering clues from stunned witnesses and disturbed onlookers.
Preliminary findings from the crime scene have already offered investigators critical leads. The Command confirms that these insights are now being developed into actionable intelligence as tactical units expand their dragnet in search of the fleeing suspects.
Residents of Awka and its environs have expressed both fear and hope—fear over the boldness of the attackers, and hope that the police will bring them to justice. Security patrols have since been intensified, with plainclothes and uniformed officers maintaining visible presence across key flashpoints.
The Anambra State Police Command has assured the public that this attack will not go unanswered. The Commissioner of Police has reportedly directed all specialized units to work in synergy to track down the perpetrators and dismantle the network that enabled the assault.
Reiterating its zero-tolerance stance on cultism and violent crime, the Command says it remains fully committed to restoring calm, protecting lives, and ensuring that criminal gangs find no safe haven within the State.
As investigations continue and operations escalate, the police have urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. More updates are expected as the manhunt progresses.