Hoodlums Burn Down Palace, Car Of Traditional Ruler In Imo State

Some yet-to-be-identified hoodlums have attacked and burnt down the palace of the traditional ruler of the Etekwuru community in Imo State.

The attackers also burnt down his official car – a Highlander Jeep during the attack which occurred on Thursday night.

Etekwuru community is located in the Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, Ezenwoko’s Blog understands.

The attackers were said to have stormed the palace location a few hours after a clash between youths of the community and soldiers.

However, the assailants who arrived at the palace with explosives couldn’t locate the monarch or any of his family members so they went ahead to burn down the house and other properties in the compound.

As reported by Punch, the king and his family were forced to flee and hid for their lives at the Divisional Police Headquarters located at Mmahu.

Narrating his experience, the monarch said he and his wife only escaped the attackers by whiskers as they were whisked away from the palace half-naked by security operatives, lamenting that he lost a lot of items to the attack.

“At 10.30 pm of Thursday 21/10/21 hoodlums came into my compound, broke my window glasses, pour fuel into my rooms, and set my house on fire.

“They were shooting sporadically and I couldn’t find a way of escape with my wife and child. I started making calls to the police for help but the help could not come until the building burnt beyond control. My 4runner Jeep burnt to ashes.

“The police came around 11.45 pm but could not get the arsonists. I learnt it was those boys responsible for the killing of the soldier whose houses were set on fire by the Army on reprisal that are responsible for the arson.

“I left my house with only boxers as all properties in my house burnt. As the police arrived, I came out from my hidden point and discovered that the next building to my house is also on fire.

“I am calling for help from any good-spirited person to enable me to survive the shock, as I am now in the police station,” he wrote.