Gunmen invade Ebonyi community, kill monarch

Gunmen have killed a traditional ruler in Ebonyi State, south-east Nigeria.

The victim, Umazi Ubani, is the traditional ruler of Umuihe Community in Akaeze, Ivo Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Ubani was killed when the hoodlums invaded the community on Friday.

ASIWAJU MEDIA gathered that there were heavy shootings by the gunmen in the community during the invasion.

The development forced frightened residents of the community to scamper for safety.

The Coordinator of Akaeze Development Centre, Chinasa Okorie, confirmed the incident.

Mr Okorie condemned the killing of the monarch, stressing that it would be very difficult to get another traditional ruler of his kind.

“Around 10 p.m. last Friday, I received a call that there were shootings in the house of our traditional ruler. After the shootings, it was discovered that our traditional ruler had been killed. That is the traditional ruler of Umuihe Autonomous Community, Akaeze, HRH Eze Umazi Ibo Ubani,” he said.

The community leader described the slain monarch, who was about 60 years old, as “bold, fearless and intelligent”. He said Mr Ubani’s wealth of experience would be greatly missed by the community, the local government and the state.

He said only security agencies can say those behind the attack and killing.

Another leader from the community, Sinbad Ogbuatu, said the incident forced shop owners in a market around the community to shut down.

“I have been calling everyone and nobody told me there was a crisis or problem in the community to warrant such an incident. Maybe when normalcy returns, we will know the cause of everything,” Mr Ogbuatu stated.

Police speak

The police in Ebonyi State have confirmed the attack and killing of the monarch.

The police spokesperson in the state, Joshua Ukandu, said police operatives have launched a manhunt for the attackers.

“Immediately we got a distress call on the incident, we swung into action and the assailants had already left the scene by the time our men moved to the scene. But we are trailing the assailants,” Mr Ukandu, a deputy superintendent of police, said.

Not the first time

This is not the first time a monarch would be killed by gunmen in the South-eastern state which has witnessed growing insecurity in recent times.

On 27 February 2023, gunmen killed the traditional ruler of Umuezekoha Ezza North Local Government Area of the state.

The gunmen invaded his palace in the night and shot him dead.

Afterwards, three days to his burial, last month, some yet-to-be-identified arsonists burnt down his palace.

Earlier in June 2022, gunmen abducted the traditional ruler of Isuokoma Community in Onicha Local Government Area of the state.

The monarch’s whereabouts remain known even after the abductors reportedly collected an unspecified amount of money as ransom.