Tension in Imo As Fire Guts Palace of Influential Traditional Leader

• The palace of a traditional leader in Imo state has been razed by fire leaving many properties destroyed
• The fire was said to have started at midnight on Tuesday, January 25, although the entire household of the monarch was rescued unhurt
• Reports that some hoodlums could be responsible for the inferno have also been debunked by the spokesperson of the palace

The Oboro Amurie Kingdom in the Isu local government area of Imo state was thrown into a state of confusion on Tuesday, January 25, after the palace of the traditional leader of the community, Eze V.O Ahamefule Duruoha 1, was gutted by fire.

The Nation reports that while the story in town has it that the fire was set up by some suspected hoodlums operating in the area.

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The palace has since debunked the claim as an unfounded rumour.

Sources within the community who spoke on the matter said the fire started at around midnight engulfing the entire palace of the traditional leader.

The source added that suspected hoodlums had driven into the palace area and set the entire location on fire.

Also, the fire was said to have destroyed property worth millions although the traditional leader, his children and his entire household were rescued unhurt.

Speaking on the incident, the spokesperson for the palace, Ezinwa N’Isu, Chief Sixtus Nnamdi Nsorom, described reports of involvement of hoodlums as an unfounded rumour.

The Street Journal reports that Nsorom said Eze Ahamefule of Oboro Amurie Kingdom has no problems with anybody and linking the fire in his palace to hoodlums' attack is uncalled for.

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He also said that the desecration of the sacred Kingdom of peace of Uzunakpuigwe remains condemnable and is an abomination in the highest order.

Nsorom said:

“While we thank God Almighty that no life was lost, we will continue to dig deep to unravel the root cause of the unfortunate incident. Eze Duruoha remains a universal king loved by all.

"Hence, the rumour of gunmen is hereby jettisoned as it is untrue, fake and should be seen as null and void."

Also, confirming the incident, the Imo state police command's spokesperson, CSP Michael Abattam, an investigation is being carried out on the matter.

Abattam said:

“We don’t know the cause of the fire, we are still investigating."

Gunmen kill 65-year-old man in Imo displays body part in primary school

Gunmen have struck again in Imo state, killing a 65-year-old man identified as Nnoruoka Onyeokwu.

Onyeokwu was killed by the criminals who went ahead to display the head at the primary school in Ubudom Atta community, Njaba LGA.

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In December 2021, some yet-to-be-identified gunmen also abducted a monarch and later dumped his corpse at the market square.

Governor Hope Uzodimma refuses to name sponsors of insecurity in Imo

Meanwhile, Imo governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, on Tuesday, January 4, failed to name the sponsors of attacks in the state contrary to a pledge he made earlier.

Senator Uzodimma, however, acknowledged that he promised a fortnight ago to name the sponsors of attacks in Imo.

He said he would no longer name names but would leave security agencies ‘to do their work’ and prosecute those found culpable.

Source: Legit.ng