Anambra Attack Claims Lives of Comedian Aiza Nwosu and Another

Awka, the capital city of Anambra State, was rocked by a tragic incident late Sunday evening when unknown attackers reportedly gunned down two individuals. Among the deceased was Isaac Nwosu, a well-known comedian and media personality also identified as ‘Aiza Nwosu’, alongside another middle-aged man whose identity remains unknown.

Information gathered indicates that both victims were fatally shot in different locations by the same group of assailants. Mr. Nwosu was killed on S.M. Okeke Street in Amaikwo, Awka, while the second victim lost his life on Capital City Road, Amaenyi, Awka. The precise reason behind these killings has not yet been determined, but the violent episode caused significant alarm among residents, who reportedly fled for safety as gunshots echoed through the area. Nevertheless, testimonies from eyewitnesses and local inhabitants suggest a potential link between the attacks and cult-related violence.

An eyewitness close to the scene where the comedian was murdered recounted that approximately three assailants, driving a tinted vehicle, pursued Mr. Nwosu from his residence. They reportedly intercepted his vehicle before attacking and shooting him dead, leaving him in a pool of blood inside his car. The witness added that a short distance away, the same attackers shot another victim by the roadside, dispossessing him of his belongings before fleeing. Before their departure, the assailants allegedly fired shots into the air in a commando-style manner, escalating tension in the vicinity. Security operatives arrived after the attackers had left, recovering the lifeless bodies.

Online videos circulating corroborated these events, showing the deceased in pools of blood at their respective locations, surrounded by onlookers.

On Monday, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, issued a statement confirming the incident. He stated that the command has initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and is actively seeking public cooperation in the ongoing search for the suspects.

Part of the police statement read: “The Anambra State Police Command has condemned in the strongest terms the gunshot attacks carried out by unidentified gunmen in Awka, the State capital, on Sunday, August 30, 2026, which resulted in the deaths of two persons. The command has consequently intensified the ongoing manhunt for the perpetrators and is calling for the support and cooperation of members of the public to assist in bringing the suspects to justice. Information gathered so far reveals that three unidentified persons, travelling in a silver-coloured Toyota Corolla, with registration number yet to be ascertained, reportedly shot two persons at separate locations within Awka.”

SP Ikenga further explained that upon receiving distress calls, security operatives swiftly deployed patrol teams to the affected zones to track down the culprits. Arriving at the scenes, officers recovered the victims’ bodies from Capital City Road, Amaenyi, and S.M. Okeke Street, Amaikwo, Awka. The victims were transported to a hospital, where medical staff officially pronounced them dead. While one victim remains unidentified, the second was confirmed as Isaac Nwosu, known as ‘Aiza’. Recovered from the scenes were a sum of ₦7,550, a Moniepoint ATM card, and a pair of slippers.

In response to the killings, the Commissioner of Police for Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Ama, denounced the acts as unacceptable and a direct challenge to the state's peace and security. CP Ama has since ordered the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, for a thorough and discreet investigation. Meanwhile, security forces have intensified patrols, surveillance, and intelligence gathering throughout Awka and its neighbouring areas.

“The command therefore calls on community leaders, residents, motorists, business owners and other members of the public who may have witnessed the incidents or have credible information regarding the suspects, their movements or the vehicle used in the attacks to come forward and assist the Police,” the statement concluded. The police assured that all information provided would be handled with the highest confidentiality, reiterating that community partnership is vital for effective policing and for preventing future attacks.