Gunmen suspected to be cultists have killed one person at the popular Aroma junction in Awka, Anambra State capital.

The shooting of the youth on Wednesday evening caused pandemonium, causing traders in the area to quickly close their shops and scamper for safety.

The victim, who was said to hail from Amudo Village in Awka, was said to be a tricycle revenue collector who was previously a Keke operator himself.

A source said the assailants trailed him from the Ifite area of the state capital and shot him at close range at a filling station, which serves as a popular bus stop for buses and tricycles.

Business outfits in the area were forced to close shops, and roadside traders abandoned their articles and fled.

The major roads in the vicinity of the incident suddenly became empty, just as many people abandoned their cars and took to their heels.

The lifeless body of the victim was still lying at the filling station at the time of filing this report.

Awka has been witnessing cult-related killings for some time now, with gangs killing their rivals in broad daylight.