Gunmen operating as kidnappers have shot and killed the Traditional Ruler of Otulu Autonomous Community in Ezinihitte-Mbaise LGA in Imo state, His Royal Highness, Eze Joe Achulor.
His assassination, which happened Saturday, is coming just barely 24 hours after the gunmen also assassinated the ward chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the nearby Ife/Akpodim/Chokoneze Ward in the same Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government Area of the State, Chiedoziem Anyanwu.
Community sources told our reporter that the monarch was abducted by yet-to-be-identified gunmen on Saturday morning, at his palace in Otulu.
One of the sources told newsmen that the lifeless body of the monarch was found Saturday night along Mbutu Community Road, in Aboh-Mbaise LGA, a neighbouring community.
The development has caused panic in the areas as nobody seemed to know the reason for the renewed killings.
One source said, “Eze Joe Achulor has been murdered by unidentified gunmen after he was whisked away yesterday morning.
“The gunmen did not demand any ransom as all efforts to locate their whereabouts proved abortive.
“Unfortunately, on Saturday night, we discovered his dead body along Mbutu Community Road. This is tragic! It is terrifying.
“I do not know why this insecurity is left to thrive in Imo and many lives have been destroyed. As I’m talking to you now, there is palpable fear within the Mbaise axis as everyone continues to process the new trend of killing. Government needs to do something drastic to curtail this.”
The Imo Police Spokesman, ASP Henry Okoye, when contacted, confirmed the incident and called for calm as the command, he said, was on top of the matter.
He further said the command is open to anybody with useful information that will lead to the swift arrest of the suspects.
“However, the Commissioner of Police has declared a manhunt on the killers of the Traditional Ruler.”
Last Thursday, the PDP ward chairman in the area, Anyanwu was fatally shot by gunmen riding a motorcycle, according to information received by our correspondent.
According to sources, on arrival at his house, his killers mentioned his name and requested to see him. On identifying him as the one, they shot him dead.
His killers were said to have ensured that he was dead before they fled the scene.
