The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the killing of four herders and the destruction of a cattle camp after suspected gunmen attacked a settlement in Ifite Awka Community, Awka South Local Government Area of the state.
The police said the attackers invaded the camp on Tuesday, killing four male victims, setting residential huts ablaze and slaughtering several cattle before fleeing the scene. Confirming the incident in a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said a police-led Joint Security Team responded to the attack following a distress call.
According to him, the operatives discovered the bodies of four victims who had been brutally murdered. “Preliminary observations revealed that the victims had their hands tied and sustained multiple injuries, including machete cuts and blunt force trauma. Also, two residential huts within the settlement were set ablaze during the attack,” Ikenga said.
The police spokesman added that officers also found four dead cows within the settlement, while two other cattle had been slaughtered, with parts of their meat removed by the attackers. He disclosed that security operatives recovered sacks containing abandoned chunks of meat a short distance from the scene.
Ikenga said preliminary investigations indicated that the attackers were armed with sophisticated weapons, including AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, double-barrel guns and machetes. He added that one survivor escaped unharmed and was assisting investigators with useful information that could help identify and arrest the perpetrators.
“The survivor is currently assisting the Police-led Joint Security Team with useful information that could aid the ongoing investigation,” he said.
The police command urged residents to remain calm and support security agencies with credible information, assuring that further updates would be communicated as investigations progress.
Following the attack, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) condemned the killings and appealed to its members to remain peaceful while security agencies investigate the incident.
In a statement signed by its National Deputy Director-General, Gidado Siddiki, the association identified the four victims as Mohammed Bujumi, Hassan Bujumi, Abubakar Bujumi and Sani Bujumi, saying they were members of the same family.
According to Siddiki, the attack occurred at the cattle camp of Alhaji Aminu Mohammed on Tuesday. “According to reports, unknown armed assailants invaded the cattle camp while the herders were peacefully engaged in their legitimate cattle-rearing activities,” he said.
“The attackers opened fire sporadically, resulting in the deaths of four herders, namely Mohammed Bujumi, Hassan Bujumi, Abubakar Bujumi and Sani Bujumi. Several cattle were also killed during the attack, while the assailants reportedly fled with some of the cattle carcasses towards the nearby Mgbakwu Community.”
Siddiki disclosed that another herder, identified as Usman Iliyasu, narrowly escaped the attack. Describing the incident as “heinous and senseless,” MACBAN called on security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation, arrest those responsible and ensure they are prosecuted. The association also urged the Anambra State Government to strengthen security across the state to safeguard lives and property.
While appreciating the prompt response of the Joint Task Force and the Anambra State Government in recovering the victims’ bodies, Siddiki appealed to members of the association not to resort to reprisals. “We urge everyone to cooperate fully with the security agencies and allow the government to carry out the necessary investigations and take appropriate action to ensure justice is served,” he said.
The latest attack has heightened concerns over security in Awka, the Anambra State capital, as authorities intensify efforts to track down those behind the killings.
