Gunmen reportedly shot and killed three traditional rulers in Imo State on Tuesday. The traditional rulers were holding a council meeting at Njaba local government headquarters at Nnenasa when the gunmen struck. A few monarchs were reportedly kidnapped during the attack.
Two of the dead rulers have been identified as Obi 1 of Okwudor community, Eze E. Anayochukwu Durueburuo, and Eze Sampson Osunwa of Ihebineowerre community. Other traditional rulers were said to have sustained serious injuries during the attack and currently receiving medical treatments at hospitals.
The PPRO in Imo State, Mike Abattam, confirmed the incident and said the police is investigating the matter. Gov. Hope Uzodinma has also condemned the attack and swore to bring the perpetrators to justice. Uzodinma said killing of monarchs has become the new face of banditry in the state and vowed that security agencies will fish out the killers.
“It’s a very serious offence,” Uzodinma stated. “It is unacceptable, condemnable, and we’ll never allow those who did it to go scot-free. The situation is very pathetic and condemnable. This is a new dimension to the banditry in the state, where they now attack traditional rulers gathered in a hall for their normal meeting, with the council chairman presiding.”
The governor declared that “we will never allow such thing to happen again in the state; we will really go after them.” He said there must be peace and security in Imo and the entire southeast region and that the government will leave no stones unturned in fishing out the killers and stamping out terrorism from the region.
