Gunmen reportedly kidnap two Imo traditional rulers; IPOB reacts

Gunmen on Sunday reportedly stormed two Imo communities and kidnapped their traditional rulers, including Eze Acho Ndukwe of Amagu Ihube and Eze Paul Ogbu of Ihitte Ihube in the Okigwe Local Government Area of the state.

This is coming some days after the traditional ruler of Atta ancient kingdom in the Njaba LGA, Eze Edwin Azike, was abducted and killed.

It was learnt that the gunmen burnt the palaces of the monarchs while carrying out the operations in the early hours of Sunday, Daily Post reports.

It was also gathered that the gunmen, who came in Hilux vehicles, invaded the country home of a youth leader in Umulolo-Okigwe and kidnapped him.

The spokesperson of the Police in the state, Micheal Abattam, said the command had commenced investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Sunday condemned the murder of traditional rulers in Imo State.

Reacting to the murder of the traditional ruler of Atta ancient kingdom, Eze Edwin Azike, the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said criminals were thriving in the state under Governor Hope Uzodinma’s watch.

The group, in a statement, accused the Police and the state government of doing nothing to check the activities of criminals in the state.

The statement read in part, “The global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, strongly condemns the gruesome murder of the traditional ruler of Njaba by unknown gunmen created by evil politicians in Imo State.

“We discovered that Hope Uzodimma led Imo State and the Police in Imo State are enjoying the handiwork of the monsters they created, incubated and nourishing in their desperation to demonize IPOB and ESN. This time around, we are surprised they claimed IPOB and ESN were responsible for the killing of the monarch, but they know those in Njaba committing the heinous crimes and allowing them to be free.

“Things are going wrong in Imo State because of threats the government of the state gave all traditional rulers and stakeholders in the state. If not, how can four traditional rulers be killed on Njaba in the last three months, and no single arrest was made by the Police and the state government led by Uzodimma?”