Gunmen invaded Imo communities on Sunday morning wreaked havoc 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.”

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 against at Monarchs. A new community strategy is what we have developed.”

Lolo Ijeoma Njoku Obinwannem News Writer / Dec 13, 2021