Gunmen, on Wednesday, invaded Azikoro village in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, and killed four persons, including a pregnant woman and her husband.

The gunmen were said to have also attacked a church, set some buildings ablaze and vandalised some vehicles.

A resident of the community, who is also a medical doctor, said, “The armed boys also came into my compound and destroyed my car.”

The state police command confirmed the incident but claimed that it was perpetrated by suspected cultists in reprisal.

A statement on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Asinim Butswat, said the command had “launched a manhunt for the suspected cultists, who murdered four victims and set a house ablaze.”

Butswat said the Commissioner of Police, Mike Okoli, had visited the scene of the incident.

The statement read in part, “On August 5, 2020, around 11pm, armed suspected cultists stormed the Lion of Judah Churc’, Azikoro village, Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, shot dead four church members namely:  Alfred Marcus, 30; Imomotimi (surname unknown), 25; Gabriel Ejimofor, 45; and Uchechukwu Ejimofor, 38, and set ablaze a nearby building, damaged a vehicle and the property of the church.

“Operatives of the Operation Puff Adder had earlier traced the hideout of the cultists to the bush, dislodged them and burnt their camp. It is believed that this is a reprisal by the suspected cultists.

“Meanwhile, two suspects have been arrested and are cooperating with the police in their investigation.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Mike Okoli, has visited the scene, reassured members of the community of adequate police protection and ordered full-scale investigation to unravel the motive behind this dastardly attack.”