The Anambra State Police Command has said the deadly attack in Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state, was the result of a confrontation between rival cult groups.

The incident occurred at the Afor Market junction in Nawfia, forcing residents to flee to neighbouring communities for safety.

Reacting to the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the command had earlier arrested two suspects over an alleged plan by rival cult groups to unleash violence in the area.

In a statement, Ikenga said operatives attached to the Special Anti-Cult Squad, Enugwu-Ukwu, had, four days before the incident, acted on intelligence and arrested two suspected cultists, recovering a firearm from them.

According to him, the suspects have been providing useful information to assist police efforts to prevent further attacks in Awka and surrounding communities.

Despite the preventive measures, Ikenga disclosed that some members of the gang, operating in a black Lexus jeep with yet-to-be-identified registration number, stormed the Afor Nawfia Market on the evening of December 7, 2025, and opened fire indiscriminately.

He said the attack led to the death of four persons before the assailants fled the scene.

The police spokesman noted that although the attackers escaped before the arrival of security operatives, preliminary findings have provided useful leads, adding that efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest the suspects.

He assured that the Anambra State Police Command remains committed to tackling cultism and violent crimes in the state, and promised to update the public as investigations continue.