The Palace, houses, vehicles belonging to the traditional ruler of Obor community in Umutanze, Orlu Local Government Area, Eze Ralph Ekezie, have been burnt by unknown gunmen.
It was gathered the hoodlums came around 9:30 pm last Thursday but unfortunately for them the monarch and family members were not captured by the hoodlums.
The reason for the attack was not given but sources in the community said the Obor community has been one of the troubled communities for the unknown gunmen since the issue of insecurity started in Imo State.
One of the eyewitnesses from the community who spoke on the incident said not only the palace of the traditional ruler was set ablaze, his house was also destroyed. He added that a house belonging to the Special Adviser to the traditional ruler, Gozie Nwagba, was allegedly burnt by the hoodlums.
According to one of the eyewitnesses, told Vanguard that, “These boys came In their vehicles started shooting and brought out their gallon of fuel and pour it on the building and put fire and it started burning.
“We are lucky our traditional ruler and members of his families have escaped if not, the unknown gunmen would have killed him.
“So, since they did not see the person they were looking for they started burning the palace including the houses of the traditional ruler and even the house of the Personal Adviser, PA, of the traditional ruler, Gozie Nwagba.”
“It is wickedness. The burning of the PA house was unfortunate and it shows that the attackers want to waste more blood in Orlu. Our people must come out and resist them so that there will be peace in Orlu.
“We were told that the houses that were burnt there were vehicles and that properties of the owners of the houses were also destroyed by the fire,” eyewitness said.