Eze Joe Ochulor, the esteemed traditional ruler of Otulu community in Ezinihitte, Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, fell victim to unknown assailants according to reports. The monarch was reportedly abducted on Saturday morning, and the grim discovery of his lifeless body, bearing signs of mutilation with one limb severed, unfolded on Sunday morning along the Chokoneze-Mbutu Road.
The perpetrators, who forcibly entered the monarch’s palace in Imo State, unleashed a wave of intermittent gunshots, effectively preventing any immediate response from those who might have raised an alarm. The somber revelation of the ruler’s demise left the community in shock and fear, as the family and villagers awaited contact from the kidnappers, anticipating a possible ransom demand.
A source within the community, speaking on condition of anonymity, conveyed the prevailing tension and apprehension among the residents.
“His mutilated body, with one leg severed from his body, was discovered along the Chokoneze-Mbutu Road where it had been dumped, while his family and community waited for his kidnappers to get in touch with them and possibly demand a ransom.”
“There is tension in the land and our people are currently living in fear. The traditional ruler was removed from his residence on Saturday morning, which has left the villagers terrified. This is terrifying.” the source said.
The removal of the traditional ruler from his residence on Saturday morning has cast a spell of terror over the villagers, ushering in a dark chapter that has left the community grappling with the unsettling reality of the barbaric crime
IMAGE: The Niche