The death of the victims, who were of northern extraction elicited reactions from the Arewa community in the state.
The community leader, Alhaji Abdulahi Shehu, while trying to douse tension over the incident appealed to its members to maintain peace.
Three gunmen dressed in black attire and suspected to be members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) or cult group stormed the popular Abraka market at about 10.00 p.m. on Friday night and sporadically opened fire on unsuspecting traders.
The gunmen were said to have arrived the market located along the busy Onitsha-Asaba expressway on foot and immediately opened fire from behind thereby jolting everybody in the area to scamper for safety.
“Before we knew what was happening, four of our people were shot dead and their corpses are deposited at the Federal Medical Centre Asaba morgue” the eye witness said.
Those who lost their lives in the attack are Usman Abdullahi, aged 45, Ali Sidi, 70, Ibrahim Zubairu, 30 and Hauwa (surname unknown), 22.
Six persons were reportedly wounded during the attack.
Two suspects Abraham Ndudi, 24 years old from Kwale in Delta state and Okereke Ifeanyi, 21 years old from Ogbaru in Anambra state have been arrested in connection with the attack in a ceiling of a major hotel in Abraka.
According to reports, an explosive device was allegedly thrown into a mosque at Cable point of the state capital by unknown persons the same night.
Sunday Tribune learnt that after about one hour, the “bomb” was thrown into the mosque and it failed to detonate, a bold member of the Arewa community carried it and ran for a distance before throwing it into the River Niger.
The state commissioner of police, Zanna Ibrahim who confirmed the attack said efforts were being made to arrest the third suspect whose name was given as Last Burial.
According to him in a statement on Saturday, investigation has commenced on the incident with a view to finding out the motive behind the shooting and the possible involvement of other conspirators in the unwarranted shooting and wounding of innocent persons.
The Commissioner of Police enjoined the non indigenes and indigenes alike not to panic or even contemplate any reprisal action as the law will surely take its course.
He commiserates with the relations and friends of both the deceased and injured and assures them, as well as other citizens and residents of the state, that everything humanly possible is being done by the police and other security agencies towards ensuring their utmost safety at all times.
Meanwhile, the police boss held a meeting with the leadership of non-indigenes and other key actors in the state over the unfortunate incident yesterday.
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