No fewer than nine people were killed on Monday when hoodlums invaded Ukpomachi community, Awkuzu in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Police spokesperson in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed the killing in a statement, said information about the incident was “still sketchy.”

Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said others were injured, and property and livestock destroyed.

Ikenga said the attackers were armed with machetes and other dangerous weapons.

He said the police were yet to verify identities of those killed.

The police spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Monday Kuryas, has ordered immediate deployment of an operational and intelligence team to identify and apprehend the killers.

“A crack team of operatives of the command led by an assistant commissioner of police has visited the scene and conducted on-the-spot-assessment of the incident.

“Normalcy has been restored to the area and adequate security put in place to forestall a similar occurrence,” he said.

The police urged residents of Anambra, particularly those living in the community, to be calm, assuring them of their resolve to get to the root of the incident.

The police appealed for information from the residents that could lead to the arrest of those responsible for the attack.

Anambra and other states in the South-east, as well as the South-south, have been grappling with severe security challenges, including deadly attacks on security agents.

NAN