Gunmen Suspected To Be Cultists Kill Man In Aba

Gunmen suspected to be cultists operating in a commercial tricycle, numbering four on Friday killed a man in his late twenties in Aba South local government area of Abia State.

The incident, our correspondent reports happened in front of the First Gate on the Ngwa road flank of the popular and busy Ahia Ohuru (New Market).

It was gathered that the gunmen were said to have trailed their target to the first gate where they accosted him and demanded that he hand over the handbag he was carrying.

He was said to have resisted the gang’s attempt to take away the bag for m him, leading to his shooting and eventual death.

Sources said that the victim died in the pool of his blood.

It was learnt that the incident caused pandemonium as both traders and customers who were carrying out their businesses around the Emejiaka area to scamper for safety.

Information has it that the deceased do assist the mum to sell local starch at Ngwa road.

It was learnt that the gang decided to kill the victim after their efforts to hack the elder brother from an opposing cult group failed.

Our correspondent reports that operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) who arrived the scene shortly after their army counterparts took the body of the deceased to the morgue.

“You know that today (Friday) is usually a busy day for us. Because of the busy economic activities going on here, nobody suspected anything.

“We were here trading when we heard fun shots and people started running in different directions.

“Later we saw some boys numbering four walking towards a commercial tricycle that parked ahead of them and drove off.

“People close to the scene said that they only saw the group of boys dragging the bag that the victim was carrying and when he refused to hand over the bag to them, they shot him and left him in the pool of his blood.

“Soldiers on hearing the sound of the gun, rushed to the scene but couldn’t meet them, they were just firing warning shots.

“Policemen wearing RRS vest and cap later came to the scene and took the corpse of the deceased away.”

When contacted the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Geoffrey Ogbonna who confirmed that the body of the deceased was taken off the scene by police team said that the incident was cult related.

He urged members of the society with useful information on the whereabouts of the suspects to avail the information to the police.

This is the second cult-related killing in Aba South in three days.