The police have confirmed the attack.

Four persons, including a pregnant woman, were on Tuesday killed when gunmen invaded Eziani, a community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria's South-east.

The attack began at about 1 a.m., a resident told PREMIUM TIMES.

The gunmen were said to have shot sporadically when they stormed the community, killing the four victims.

The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday.

Mr Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said police operatives have recovered the bodies of the victims.

The victims included three males and one female, according to the police spokesperson.

But he did not confirm that the female victim was pregnant.

"Preliminary information reveals that the criminals, armed with AK-47 rifles, started shooting indiscriminately and unprovoked, unfortunately, bullets hit four unarmed civilian populaces," Mr Ikenga said.

He said the remains of the victims have been deposited in a morgue for preservation.

Increased attacks

Like other states in Nigeria's South-east, security has deteriorated in Anambra State with frequent attacks by armed persons.

The attacks often target security agencies, government officials and facilities.

The latest incident occurred barely two weeks after gunmen bombed a police facility and set inmates free in the same council area of the state.

Gunmen, on 23 December, invaded two communities in the state, abducting one and killing another.

Three weeks ago, two youth groups in the state announced the arrest of over 80 suspected criminals from their hideouts in the state.

The Nigerian government has accused the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the region. But the group has repeatedly denied their involvement in the attacks.

The separatist group is leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants to be carved out from the South-east and some parts of South-south Nigeria.