Imo mourns as gunmen kill royal fathers.

On Tuesday, October 19, 2021, the people of Njaba Local Government Area in Imo State witnessed a horrendous attack on their royal fathers. Investigations carried out by Umuaka Times reveal that the incident occurred during a meeting of the royal fathers in the local council. Gunmen in an orchestrated attack stormed the venue of the meeting, shoot at the traditional rulers, killing 3 of them and seriously injuring several others.

The Imo State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that three royal fathers lost their lives as a result of the attack. The royal fathers who lost their lives include HRH Eze Durueburuo of Okwudor Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Sampson Osunwa of Ihebinaowere Autonomous Community and HRH Eze Edwin Azike of Atta Autonomous Community who died from his injuries two days after the incident.

Umuaka Times local affairs correspondents confirmed that HRH Eze Peter Ukono (the Akpaka) of Ugbele Akah Autonomous Community and HRH EZE Onyeka of Nkume Autonomous Community, sustained serious life changing injuries. Others seriously injured but expected to survive include HRH EZE Valentine Nwaka of Umunam Atta Autonomous Community who was shot on the left leg and HRH EZE Caesar Ugochukwu Duruegbuso of Amazano Umuele Autonomous Community who sustained serious knee injury. Umuaka Times sources confirmed that the injured royal fathers were subsequently rushed to undisclosed medical facilities in the state capital for treatments.

Other royal fathers who were at the meeting and also sustained varying degrees of injury include Eze Vincent Duru of Okpanakum Autonomous Community, Eze Victor Ijeoma of Isiozi Akah and Eze Larz Nwozor of Obeakpu Autonomous Community.

The brutal attack on the royal fathers has sparked fear in the entire Njaba community and the locals fear further attacks due to political tensions in the state since the Supreme Court declared Senator Hope Uzodimma the elected governor of the state.

Meanwhile the police have barricaded the local government council area after the attack, thereby restricting access to reporters and others. While the police confirmed three deaths, concerns arose that the death toll might rise due to the severity of injuries sustained by some royal fathers.

The incident was said to be part of a larger recent trend of kidnappings and particularised targeting of royal fathers and prominent citizens in Imo State by gunmen.