Oruku community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, is in crisis after its traditional ruler, Igwe Emmanuel Chidebere Mba was on Sunday shot dead by men who claimed to be police officers from Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The incident also sparked off chaos as houses and cars belonging to community members alleged to be behind the shooting of the traditional ruler were set ablaze.
Eyewitnesses said that ‘policemen’ who were led by one Inspector Danladi, invaded the community in an SUV and a Sienna bus at about 2:00 pm on Saturday and sought to see the traditional ruler who was addressing community members inside the community town hall.
The armed men were reportedly escorted to the town hall by three natives of Oruku community identified as Emmanuel Nwobodo, Onyema Edeh and Sunday Onunze.
When the traditional ruler was identified by the three natives, one of the ‘policemen’ immediately shot him on the thigh and he fell down bleeding.
Pandemonium ensued after the royal father was shot as the natives scattered in different directions amidst sporadic shooting by the armed men, who made attempts to arrest some of them.
The bleeding royal father was taken away alongside Agozie Ani by the armed men to Parklane hospital Enugu but he could not be admitted due to lack of bed space as they were referred to the National Orthopedic hospital, Enugu where on arrival doctors at the Emergency Unit only pronounced the royal father dead.
The royal father who was elected by his community on December 26, 2019, it was learnt, reportedly bled to death before he could get medical attention.
The corpse was deposited at the National Orthopedic Hospital mortuary while the whereabouts of Ani was yet to be known.
The Ford Pick-up van driven to the aborted meeting by the deceased royal father also driven away by the team is yet to be found.
Checks by some leaders of the community at the police command headquarters in the state to ascertain the identity and motive of the “invading policemen” proved abortive as they were told that there was no such entry made at any police station to that effect.
As a result of the incident, the aggrieved members of Oruku community reportedly regrouped Saturday evening and attacked the homes of some indigenes believed to be behind the murder of the traditional ruler.
Four houses including the compound of the father of a retired federal Permanent Secretary, Chief Raymond Okenwa were reportedly burnt down. Some vehicles parked within the affected premises were also set torched by the mob.
The carnage continued until Sunday morning as more buildings in Oruku were still being set on fire.
Attempts made to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, failed as he did not take calls nor reply to text messages to his mobile phone.
