Gunmen murder Imo traditional ruler, dump body at market square, another abducted in Kwara
Gunmen who abducted the traditional ruler of Atta ancient kingdom in the Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State, Edwin Azike, Thursday, have murdered the monarch and dumped his body at the market square.
Eze Azike’s lifeless body was discovered, Friday morning, at the market square in the community, 24 hours after he was abducted on Thursday.
Eyewitness account claim four persons also lost their lives during the attack on the Thursday attack by the gunmen on the Njaba community.
“The traditional ruler of Atta ancient kingdom in the Njaba LGA, Eze Edwin Azike, has been murdered. His lifeless body was dumped at the market square and the villagers discovered it this morning. He was kidnapped on Thursday and thereafter, the community was invaded which led to the killing of four persons.”
Reacting, to the incident, chairman of Traditional Rulers Council/ Community Policing in Imo, Eze Emma Okeke, said that the monarchs in the state were saddened by the killing of their colleague.
Describing the killing of Azike as an abomination, Okeke said that the council was on Friday morning informed of the killing of the traditional ruler.
“We have got the sad news about the killing of Eze Edwin Azike. This is abominable in Igbo culture. I don’t know why traditional rulers are being hunted like this. We are not politicians; we are only custodians of the culture of our people. We were informed on Thursday when he was kidnapped, only for him to be found dead, this morning.”
In a related development, a 65yr-old district head has been kidnapped in Kwara.
The district head, the ‘Mogaji Erubu’ in Ilorin Emirate, Kwara State, Dr. Zubair Folorunsho Erubu, was kidnapped, Thursday.
Dr Erubu’s whereabouts is yet unknown, even as his abductors have not contacted his family.
The district leader was reportedly kidnapped on his way between the Ilorin metropolis and Afon in Asa local government area of the state on Thursday night.
The 65-year-old district head was reportedly kidnapped around 10 o’clock at the gate of his farm in Afon.
Confirming the incident, the police in Kwara said efforts were in progress to rescue the district head.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state Police command, Okasanmi Ajayi, said the commissioner of police, Tuesday Assayomo, had ordered a discreet investigation of the incident, the rescue of the victim and the arrest of the suspected kidnappers.
The district head is a retired permanent secretary in the state civil service.
He is a medical doctor and a one-time chief medical officer at the state Government House Clinic.
It was learnt that he was heading to his farm in Asa local government when he was kidnapped.
