There was tension on Friday at the Palace of the King of Upata as an assassination attempt was made on the life of the Eze Igbu Upata III of Upata Kingdom, King Felix Enene Otuwarikpo in the early by some unknown gunmen.
The gunmen shot sporadically and engaged his security details in a gun duel at his Ihuaba Palace.
The incident, according to sources, added to several other sinister plots targeted at King Felix Enene Otuwarikpo since he ascended the revered throne of the Upata people in 2017.
Reacting to requests for comments over the assassination attempt, the king’s spokesman, Monday Oyagiri, said that “Sometime ago, we warned against perceived plans to smear the good nature of the highly respected Upata Monarch but instead of relenting, those who reel in evil went on to precipitate this heinous attack. This is to test the will of the Upata people.
“This assassination attempt against King Felix Enene Otuwarikpo is coming barely few days after he flagged off the grading of the Ula Upata – Ihuike – Okpogaudhodhu – Edeoha community roads. This is one feat that adds to the towering success of the Monarch. Having performed creditably against the wishes of his detractors, King Felix Enene Otuwarikpo is now primed to die. It is correct to say that he has broken no law by offering himself for service and serving diligently.
He said that “Many have misconstrued success story as embarrassing to the conservatives”, adding that “He has since he ascended the throne consequently exhibited humility, stood firm and continued to urge for the overall good of the Upata people and Ekpeye at large.
“As a people, we have refrained from making any retaliatory move on the ongoing smear campaign against the Eze Igbu Upata because he had held the Upata people from joining issues with those perceived to be aligning against the Kingdom and hierarchies. But the people cannot continue to keep silent especially now that the issue is taking the dimension of plot to kill him.
“Today, noting the attack on the Monarch, it appears that the people are on a cliff. The contemporaneousness of the early morning attempt on the life of the King by gunmen leaves us to a safe conclusion that the attack may have either been engineered by those who are afraid of the rising profile of King Felix Enene Otuwarikpo and thus, we will not hesitate to call on the security agencies to commence investigation and leave no stone unturned in getting to the root of this barbaric act”
He stressed that the Eze Igbu Upata of Upata Kingdom’s life means so much to his people and many poor and voiceless individuals for whom he lives and so the people can no longer be silent on the face of any threat to his life, real or perceived.
“Therefore, it is important to notify that the Upata people will not relent in looking for and expose those who acted cowardly and primitively. While those who work clandestinely to undermine the Upata Chiefdom are free to do so, it is gratifying to say that no amount of intimidation would alter the minds of the people for growth”
