Persons suspected to be cultists on Wednesday morning killed a member of a rival gang, inside Eke Awka market, in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The incident happened in the morning as traders were opening their shops for the day’s business, a source said.

The source said the slain man identified as Igwe Omeli, was a notorious cultist, who was always used by the leadership of the market to collect tolls.

“He was hacked down in the market, around 7am. He sighted members of the rival cult and made efforts to escape and also alert his gang members, but he was not lucky.

“His head was cut off, including his manhood, and his assailants took them away, leaving the trunk lying inside a line in the market,” the source said.

The spokesperson for Anambra State Police Command, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed the incident, saying that operatives of the command have been dispatched to the scene.

It was learnt that the incident caused traders who had come out for their businesses to hurriedly shut down their shops, for fear of reprisal by the rival group.