Damian Nwaigwe, the traditional ruler of Mbutu ancient kingdom in the Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, was kidnapped by gunmen on Thursday morning.
It was discovered that the gunmen numbered in the tens.
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A community source told The Punch that the monarch was kidnapped at his palace around 2: 30 a.m.
According to the source, “Eze Damian Nwaigwe, the traditional ruler of Mbutu ancient kingdom in Imo state’s Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area, has been kidnapped. On Thursday, around 2.30 a.m., the respected king was kidnapped from his palace.
“There were a lot of people who kidnapped him. They arrived in vehicles and numbered in the tens. They barricaded his palace and fired indiscriminately until the monarch was whisked away in a steaming vehicle.
“The king’s palace is secluded. He built his house far away from other villagers’ homes, which made it easy for him to be kidnapped without resistance from his subjects.”
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The incident has sparked fear in the community, with villagers reporting that they have been on high alert since the incident until dawn.
Micheal Abattam, the state’s police spokesperson, confirmed the monarch’s kidnapping.
The command, according to Abattam, is working to save the monarch alive.
