Eze Joe Ochulor, the traditional ruler of the Otulu village in Imo State’s Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area, has been killed.
The king, who was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen on Saturday morning, was killed that evening.
According to an unnamed source, the king’s lifeless body was discovered on the roadway in Mbutu community in the nearby Aboh Mbaise LGA on Saturday night.
“The traditional ruler of Otulu community in Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State has been killed,” the source claimed. On Saturday night, the king’s lifeless body was discovered by the roadside in Mbutu, Aboh Mbaise LGA.
“There is fear all around. Villagers are terrified because the traditional monarch was kidnapped on Saturday morning and his lifeless body was discovered the same day. This is quite terrifying.”
When reached, Henry Okoye, the state police spokesperson, confirmed the monarch’s death, saying, “The tale is real. Although the situation is sad, the state commissioner of police has declared the suspects sought. We’re on the trail of the suspects, and we’re doing everything we can to catch up with them and bring them to justice.
“The command is open to anyone with useful information that will lead to the arrest of the suspects as soon as possible.” We are telling the public that this development is not beyond our capabilities. The situation is under control of the CP.
Remember that the traditional ruler’s kidnapping and assassination occurred just a few days after Chiedoziem Anyanwu, the ward chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Ife/ Akpodim/ Chokoneze ward in the same Ezinihitte Mbaise LGA, was slain in front of his wife.
The gunmen had come and asked that he be shown to them. They shot him and established that he was dead before fleeing the area after confirming that he was the one they were looking for.