Suspected cultists attacked the Edeoha community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, killing four residents in the early hours of Sunday.
According to reports, the assailants, believed to be members of the Iceland cult group, stormed the community around 2 a.m. armed with sophisticated weapons, firing indiscriminately.
Witnesses said the gunmen went door to door searching for their targets, while terrified residents fled in fear of stray bullets.
A local source, who requested anonymity, revealed that the motive behind the attack remains unclear.
“The entire community was thrown into chaos when they arrived, shooting. Three of the victims were from Edeoha, and the fourth was from Ekata, another community in Ahoada East LGA, though he lived in Edeoha,” the source said.
“The attackers, suspected to be Iceland cult members, came from a camp in a nearby community. Those killed were not cult members, but it’s believed the attack was orchestrated by cultists, possibly hired to eliminate the four individuals over some unresolved issues.”
The Edeoha community is accessible via the Nbaima-Ahoada highway and is surrounded by creeks and rivers, which criminals are known to exploit for escape routes.
When contacted, Rivers State Police Command spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed the incident, stating, “Yes, I can confirm it is cult-related. The Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Mustapha, has ordered the Ahoada Area Commander and the Divisional Police Officer to begin an investigation to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.”