Tragedy has struck as suspected gunmen killed Umazi Ubani, the traditional ruler of Umuihe Community in Akaeze, Ivo Local Government Area of the state in Ebonyi State, south-east Nigeria.
According to reports, the monarch was killed after the hoodlums invaded the community over the weekend.
The development forced frightened residents of the community to scamper for safety.
The Coordinator of Akaeze Development Centre, Chinasa Okorie, confirmed the incident.
Mr Okorie condemned the killing of the monarch, stressing that it would be very difficult to get another traditional ruler of his kind.
“Around 10 p.m. last Friday, I received a call that there were shootings in the house of our traditional ruler. After the shootings, it was discovered that our traditional ruler had been killed. That is the traditional ruler of Umuihe Autonomous Community, Akaeze, HRH Eze Umazi Ibo Ubani,” he said.
The community leader described the slain monarch, who was about 60 years old, as “bold, fearless and intelligent”. He said Mr Ubani’s wealth of experience would be greatly missed by the community, the local government and the state.
He said only security agencies can say those behind the attack and killing.
Another leader from the community, Sinbad Ogbuatu, said the incident forced shop owners in a market around the community to shut down.
“I have been calling everyone and nobody told me there was a crisis or problem in the community to warrant such an incident. Maybe when normalcy returns, we will know the cause of everything,” Mr Ogbuatu stated.
The police in Ebonyi State have confirmed the attack and killing of the monarch.
The police spokesperson in the state, Joshua Ukandu, said police operatives have launched a manhunt for the attackers.
“Immediately we got a distress call on the incident, we swung into action and the assailants had already left the scene by the time our men moved to the scene. But we are trailing the assailants,” Mr Ukandu, a deputy superintendent of police, said.
A similar incident occurred on February 27 of last year, when Eze Igboke Ewa of Umuezekoha in Ezza North LGA was brutally murdered in his palace by gunmen. The assailants invaded the compound and shot him repeatedly during the night.
Just three days before his burial last month, unidentified arsonists set fire to the late traditional ruler’s palace.
Prior to these events, the traditional ruler of Isuokoma autonomous community in Onicha LGA was abducted in his palace by gunmen on June 22, 2022. Despite allegedly receiving an unspecified ransom, his whereabouts remained unknown.
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