Gunmen have killed four men believed to be herders and set two residential huts ablaze during an attack on a settlement in Agu-Ifite, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Tuesday at a cattle settlement near Miracle Junction in Ifite, Awka, throwing the community into panic.
The Anambra State Police Command said operatives of a police-led joint security team responded to a distress call and discovered four male victims with fatal injuries.
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Police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said preliminary investigations showed that the victims had their hands tied and suffered multiple injuries, including machete cuts and blunt force trauma.
He added that two residential huts were set ablaze during the attack.
Police also recovered four dead cows at the scene, while two additional cattle had been slaughtered and parts of the meat taken away by the attackers. Sacks containing abandoned chunks of meat were later recovered nearby.
According to the command, the assailants were armed with sophisticated weapons, including AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, double-barrel shotguns and machetes.
One survivor escaped unharmed and is assisting investigators with useful information.
The National Deputy Director-General of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, condemned the attack and called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
He also appealed to the Anambra State Government to strengthen security and protect the lives and property of law-abiding residents.
Siddiki commended the prompt response of the joint security team and urged members of the association to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands.
The police said a comprehensive investigation has commenced and assured residents that every effort is being made to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.
The command also appealed to members of the public to provide credible information that could assist investigators as the manhunt continues.
