Gunmen Assassinate Abducted Traditional Ruler In Imo

A group of armed men kidnapped the traditional ruler of the Otulu autonomous community in Imo state and killed him over the weekend.

Eze Achulor's body was found Saturday night on Mbutu Road in Aboh-Mbaise local government area.

State Police spokesperson Henry Okoye said a team comprising top officials has been formed to investigate the assassination. He urged anyone with information about the gunmen to alert police.

The assassination took place a few hours after the monarch was kidnapped from his home.

"The Commissioner of Police has set up a high-powered investigative team to fish out the assailant and make them face the wrath of the law. The CP has also deployed a special tactical team to go after the killers and apprehend them," Okoye said, With In Nigeria reported.

"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," a local resident said, The Cable reported.

"Unfortunately, on Saturday night, we discovered his dead body along Mbutu Community Road. This is tragic! It is terrifying. I do not know why insecurity is left to thrive in Imo and many lives have been destroyed," the person said. "Government needs to do something drastic to curtail this."

This incident took place two days after unidentified gunmen murdered the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) Ife/Akpodim/Chokoneze ward chairman Smith Chiedoziem Anyanwu.

He was shot and killed at his shop on Nov. 23. A portion of his home was converted into the shop.

"The gunmen were said to have rode on a motorbike to the house of the PDP chairman. On arrival, they met his wife and asked her for her husband," Daily Post said, quoting a source. "As soon as they sighted and identified him, they fired several shots at him and left only when they confirmed he had taken his last breath."

Kidnappings and murders have become common in Nigeria. A group of armed men invaded Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker Edison Ehie's home in Port Harcourt last week and opened fire. The speaker escaped unhurt.