Gunmen recently carried out a destructive act by setting fire to the palace of the Eze-elect of Okwuru Orsu Ihitteukwu Community in Imo State. Eze Ezekiel Nwokedi, the monarch-elect, had been actively leading the Odimma Orsu Initiative, a prominent sociocultural organization striving for peace in the troubled council area.
Amid the chaos, Nwokedi expressed his distress over the incident. The attackers not only looted his belongings but also torched his residence. The value of his lost possessions is estimated at around N85 million.
The Odimma Orsu Initiative, under Nwokedi’s leadership, has worked diligently to address the insecurity crisis plaguing the area. The council has been grappling with recurring violent incidents, including killings, house burnings, and looting of public property, spanning nearly three years.
Nwokedi’s plea for intervention from the Imo state government and security agencies echoes his frustration over the escalating violence. He emphasized the dire situation faced by the community members, revealing that the arson attack occurred just as they believed the situation was stabilizing.
The monarch urged local youths to embrace the amnesty offered by the state government as a step towards restoring normalcy to the Orsu communities.
However, the state police command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye (ASP), stated that he had not received information about the incident from the area command when contacted.