Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Nnanna Ama, has ordered a discreet and comprehensive investigation after Isaac Nwosu, popularly known as Aiza Nwosu, a well-known comedian, master of ceremonies and public announcer in Awka, was shot dead alongside an unidentified middle-aged man during separate attacks in the Anambra State capital on Sunday, August 30.

The shootings occurred at S.M. Okeke Street, Amaikwo, where Nwosu was killed, and along Capital City Road, Amaenyi, where the second victim was attacked.

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The Anambra State Police Command said three unidentified men travelling in a silver-coloured Toyota Corolla carried out the attacks before fleeing the area.

Police spokesperson SP Tochukwu Ikenga said the command had intensified efforts to apprehend the suspects and appealed to residents to provide information that could assist the investigation.

“The Anambra State Police Command has condemned in the strongest terms the gunshot attacks carried out by unidentified gunmen in Awka,” Ikenga said.

According to the police, patrol teams were immediately deployed after receiving distress calls.

Officers recovered the bodies from the two locations and took them to a hospital, where medical personnel confirmed their deaths.

Police said Nwosu was identified as one of the victims, while the identity of the other man remained unknown.

Investigators also recovered ₦7,550, one Moniepoint ATM card and a pair of slippers from the scenes.

The police have not established a motive for the killings. Some residents and eyewitnesses have, however, suggested that the attacks may have been linked to cult-related activity.

That claim has not been confirmed by the police and remains part of the unverified accounts surrounding the incident.

One eyewitness told local reporters that the attackers appeared to have followed Nwosu from his home before allegedly double-crossing his vehicle and opening fire.

The same account alleged that the gunmen later attacked another man along Capital City Road before firing shots into the air as they escaped.

The account could not independently establish the motive behind either attack.

The killings sent residents scrambling for safety as gunshots reportedly rang through parts of Awka.

The police have since transferred the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Awka, while officers have stepped up patrols, surveillance and intelligence gathering around the city and adjoining communities.

CP Nnanna Ama described the killings as unacceptable and a direct threat to the peace and security of Anambra State.

The commissioner also appealed to community leaders, motorists, business owners and residents who may have witnessed the attacks or noticed the suspects or their vehicle to contact the police.

The command said information provided by members of the public would be treated confidentially.

For many residents of Awka, the death of Nwosu carries a particularly painful human dimension because of how familiar his presence had become across the city.

Nwosu was known for combining comedy, public announcements and entertainment.

He regularly moved around Awka in vehicles fitted with loudspeakers, using music, humour and theatrical announcements to attract attention to events, products and public messages.

Local reports described him as a distinctive figure in Awka’s entertainment community, where his unconventional public appearances had made him easily recognisable.

His colourful style had also extended beyond conventional comedy.

Anambra Daily reported that media practitioner Dr Uche Nworah, in a tribute following news of Nwosu’s death, remembered his bold and unconventional approach to entertainment, including publicity roadshows and theatrical comic stunts.

Nwosu had also survived a serious road accident in Awka in April 2024.

Reports at the time said his vehicle was involved in a crash at Aroma Junction, with Nwosu taken to hospital after the incident.

His survival became another chapter in the unusual public story of a man whose personality and work had made him a familiar presence in the Anambra capital.

His death therefore comes as a particularly stark contrast to the public image many residents associated with him: a man whose loudspeaker-equipped vehicle, comic personality and public announcements were part of the everyday rhythm of Awka.

As tributes emerge from friends, colleagues and residents, attention is now turning to the circumstances surrounding the attack and the identities of those responsible.

The police have yet to announce an arrest.

For now, the command is urging residents not to speculate about the motive or identity of the attackers, but to provide credible information that can help investigators reconstruct the events of Sunday night.

The investigation is expected to determine whether the two shootings were connected, why Nwosu was targeted and whether the same suspects were responsible for both attacks.

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Until those questions are answered, the killing of Aiza Nwosu remains both a devastating loss to Awka’s entertainment community and a troubling reminder of the security challenges facing parts of Anambra State.