By Emem Idio

YENAGOA—THE paramount ruler of Oluasiri clan in Nembe Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, His Royal Highness, King Iyerite Awululu, yesterday, survived an attempt on his life by armed bandits suspected to be assassins, who inflicted several machete cuts on him.

It was gathered that three bandits invaded the residence of the monarch along Otiotio Road in the state capital around 2a.m. and gained access into room of the monarch after cutting off the burglary proof.

Wife of the monarch, Mrs Remy Awululu, in a telephone chat with Vanguard in Yenagoa, said that the bandits who invaded the residence of the monarch were actually on a mission to assassinate the monarch.

She said: “They came to kill him; they did not touch any other person. We were all around when they came. They were about three or more. I cannot really say how many, because I was too scared to look at them. They did not ask for money and they did not steal anything from the house.

“Immediately they saw the King, they started using various weapons on him, including machetes. The cuts and injuries inflicted on him is such that they wanted him dead, but we thank God for sparing his life.”

The monarch, who has been hospitalised in an undisclosed hospital in the state capital, is responding to treatment according to the wife.

However, confirming the incident, the spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, DSP Asinim Butswat, in a statement yesterday said: “Three men armed with machetes went to the residence of one Chief Iyerite Awululu, the paramount ruler of Oluasiri, at Otiotio Road, Yenagoa.

“They cut off the burglary proof, stole N9,000 and injured the king with the machetes. The victim was taken to the hospital and he is responding to treatment. Efforts have been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects and investigation is ongoing.”