Suspected cultists opened fire on mourners at a burial in Anambra State's Ogidi community late Thursday, killing four people and wounding 15 others in an attack police link to rival group violence, highlighting ongoing security struggles in Nigeria's southeast.

The shooting erupted around 10 p.m. at Ezi Village in Idemili North Local Government Area during a funeral event, where armed assailants stormed the gathering and indiscriminately targeted guests.

Anambra State Police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga, a superintendent, confirmed the casualties in a statement Friday, noting that officers from Ogidi Division responded quickly to restore order and rush the injured to nearby hospitals for treatment. During the operation, police recovered 16 spent cartridges from the scene.

Ikenga said preliminary investigations point to a feud between rival cult factions operating in the area, though no arrests have been made. "The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Ikioye Orutugu, has condemned this dastardly act in strong terms," Ikenga added. Orutugu reassured residents of the police's resolve to eliminate cult-related threats and other crimes, calling for public vigilance and tips on suspicious activities. Further updates are expected as the probe continues.

Anambra, like much of southern Nigeria, grapples with persistent cult violence despite legal bans. The state's Secret Cult and Similar Activities Prohibition Law of 2024 imposes life imprisonment or at least 21 years without fine for membership, regardless of weapons possession.

Recent incidents include a foiled initiation in Nawfia in June that netted six suspects, a deadly October 2024 clash killing four, a July 2023 beheading of a cult leader, and a November 2022 shootout in Awka claiming six lives. These events often intertwine with separatist agitations, complicating law enforcement efforts in the region.

No group has claimed responsibility, but NaijaConfa reports clashes between Vikings and Black Axe groups with reprisals as reasons for the renewed clashes especially around higher institutions in the State.