The Abia State Police Command has confirmed the killing of three staff of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, ASEPA, in Aba.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the deceased persons were on duty on Friday when they were attacked and killed by the suspected cultists.

The killings took place at Samek junction on Faulks Road, leading to Ariaria International Market, Aba.

The PPRO, who confirmed the incident, stated that the victims were identified as ASEPA staffers who were on duty in the area, adding that they were in a mini bus before the attack.

He said, “They were attacked by men suspected to be cultists, but the name of their cult group is not yet known.

“The people who dressed in black outfit inflicted multiple injuries on their victims with machetes, daggers and axes which left one Stanley Ejike and two others whose identities were yet-to-be identified dead.

“It was the ID card found on the body of one of them that disclosed that they were ASEPA staff.

“Before police got to the scene, the suspects had escaped, living the dead body of their victims which have been deposited in the morgue.

“Investigation into the matter has commenced. People with information that could lead to the arrest of those behind the dastardly act should provide police with other useful information.”

Our correspondent gathered that the bodies of the ASEPA officials were evacuated by police to the mortuary while investigations commenced.

Before the police statement, there were rumours that the victims were bank staff while some residents of Faulks road had feared that the victims were policemen or unknown gunmen.

When this reporter revisited Samek junction area of Faulks road on Saturday afternoon, most shop owners around the scene of the killings refused to open for business, fearing a police raid .

Meanwhile, ASEPA was yet to issue any official statement confirming the killing of their members as at the time of filing this report.