One killed as police repel attack on Imo traditional ruler’s palace
By Tobi Adetunji
At least one person has been killed as police operatives repelled an attack on the palace of Ezeimo, HRH Dr. E.C Okeke in Ezioha Amaifeke, Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State.
In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Michael Abattam, made available to Nigerian NewsDirect yesterday, he noted that the assailants attacked the palace in the early hours of the day.
He explained that due to the recent attack on traditional rulers in the state, the Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Hussain, had deployed police patrol teams to communities to guide and monitor palaces.
According to him, the strategy, paid off as a combined police team and a local vigilante group repelled the attack on the palace and killed one of the hoodlums.
Sequel to the recent attacks on the palaces of some Traditional Rulers in the state by some unknown gunmen, the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Rabiu Hussaini, psc in order to curb this menace deployed the command’s tactical teams to patrol every community in the state, while closely monitoring the palaces of traditional rulers.
“Today, the 3rd of January, 2022 at about 0100hrs, the strategy paid off as the Command’s tactical teams working in synergy with vigilante Group of the area were able to repel the attack/attempt to set the palace of Eze Imo; HRH Eze Dr E. C. Okeke on fire by men suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN group at Ezioha Amaifeke in Orlu LGA of Owerri, Imo State,” the statement read.
“The hoodlums, in their numbers, besieged the palace of the traditional ruler armed with assorted weapons but were subdued by the superior fire-power of the Command’s tactical teams and in the process, one of the hoodlums was neutralized. While others fled into the bush with bullet injuries.
“On searching the body of the neutralized bandit, several charms were seen tied round his waist. Other items also recovered includes: one ID Card, one locally made Improvised Explosive Devices, five bottles containing fuel, cash of N20,000 only, one Pump Action Gun with four live cartridges.”
