•Police, Imo govt vow to fish out perpetrators

•IPOB slams police, govt

•Gunmen demand N20m ransom

By Clifford Ndujihe, Chinonso Alozie, Chimaobi Nwaiwu & Emmanuel Iheaka

Gunmen, yesterday morning wreaked havoc on communities in Imo State by kidnapping two traditional rulers, and burnt their palaces and vehicles during the operations.

The affected traditional rulers were Acho Ndukwe of Amagu Ihube and Paul Ogbu of Ihitte Ihube, both in Okigwe Local council of the state.

The gunmen also kidnapped the youth leader of Umulolo Okigwe whose name had not been ascertained as of press time.

Apart from kidnapping the traditional rulers and a youth leader, the gunmen also invaded the country home of a community leader in Umulolo-Okigwe, Fabian Nwosu, and vandalised his house.

Sources said that the operation lasted for one hour,  from 12 midnight to 1am, on Sunday.

“It was something else in the early hours of Sunday. They came in Hilux vehicles and kidnapped the two monarchs and burnt their palaces and vehicles. They also kidnapped the youth leader of Umuololo- Okigwe. They also went to the house of Fabian Nwosu, and did not meet him so, they vandalised his house.”

“Eze Ndukwe is an influential king. He is the chairman of the Council of Traditional rulers in Okigwe LGA. He is also the chairman and CEO of Genesis Hotel, Okigwe. Nobody can comprehend this attack. The communities are bewildered and highly confused,” one of the sources said

The spokesperson for the police in the state, Micheal Abattam, disclosed that the command had commenced investigation into the incident.

Contacted Imo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Declan Emelumba, described the attacks as unfortunate and said investigations are on going to fish out the criminals.

“It is an unfortunate incident, very unfortunate.  Investigation is ongoing now to fish out the culprits,”he said.

A security source told Vanguard that from the information gathered “there are collaborators within and outside the affected communities and we are gradually identifying them.”

According to a community leader, who does not want his name mentioned said: “All I can tell the security agencies is that they should intensify monitoring along Arondiuzogu road in Okigwe local government area of the state.”

Another community source close to the families said: “Some hours ago, somebody told me that one of the families of the affected monarchs has established contact with the abductors and I was told they demanded N20 million.”

READ ALSO: Villagers vacate Imo communities, as gunmen kidnap 2 monarchs

He explained further, “The kidnappers kidnapped the monarchs and burnt their palaces. They came in three vehicles and two motorcycles, those on motorcycles I guess were the ones leading them in and out of the communities.” 

A government source told Vanguard: “As I am talking to you now we are in a serious meeting and some monarchs are also in a serious meeting with top government officials because this ugly trend is now against and targeted at monarchs. A new community strategy is what we have developed.”

IPOB condemns killing of monarchs in Imo

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday condemned the killing of traditional rulers in Imo  State, adding that Imo State is becoming another burning hell, saying that the madness must be stopped forthwith.

IPOB wondered why the elders, religious leaders and well-to-do people in the state are keeping quiet asking if they were waiting until everybody is killed in the state before taking action.

IPOB accused the Police in Imo State and the state government of doing nothing to checkmate criminals in Njaba particularly Egwuedo community who it alleged are involved not only in killing but also in burning peoples’ houses.

In a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful, IPOB “condemns the gruesome murder of the traditional ruler of Njaba by unknown gunmen created by evil politicians in Imo State.

“We discovered that Hope Uzodimma led Imo State and the Police in Imo State, are enjoying the handiwork of the monsters they created, incubated and nourishing in their desperation to demonize IPOB and ESN, this time around, we are surprised they call IPOB and ESN, as being responsible for the killing of the monarch, because they know those in Njaba committing heinous crimes and allowing them to walk freely.

“Things are going wrong in Imo State because of threats the government of the state gave all traditional rulers and stakeholders in the state. If not how can four traditional rulers be killed on Njaba in the last three months and no single arrest has been made by the Police and the state government led by Uzodimma pretends nothing wrong is happening in that local government.

“How can a government be threatening traditional rulers who are not doing their biddings, they have made traditional rulers to look cheap in Imo State… Where are the elders in Imo State? Where are the religious leaders? Why is Imo becoming another burning hell under the watch of Hope Uzodinma? Will the elders keep quiet until Imo State government and their nurtured monsters eliminate everybody?”

Raging war against monarchs

The traditional ruler of Atta ancient kingdom in the Njaba LGA, Edwin Azike, was kidnapped on Thursday and killed on Friday with his corpse dumped at the market square.

The traditional ruler of Mbutu ancient kingdom, Damian Nwaigwe, was kidnapped on Thursday and released on Saturday.

Also, the traditional ruler of Achi Mbieri, Henry Madumere, was kidnapped on November 19, on his way to a public function at Iho in  Ikeduru LGA.

The octogenarian monarch, who is the father of a former deputy governor of the state, Eze Madumere, was released after six days in captivity.

On October 19, hoodlums invaded Njaba LGA council headquarters at Nnenasa and shot at traditional rulers who were having a stakeholders meeting.

While two traditional rulers sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to a hospital, two other s died on the spot.

VANGUARD NEWS NIGERIA