Kingship Tussle: Many escape death as thugs damage houses, cars in Ebonyi community

No fewer than ten vehicles were damaged in the early hours of Saturday at Nkomoro Community, in Ezza North Local government Area of Ebonyi State during a coronation.

This followed heavy hostilities that broke out over the kingship.

Many people escaped being killed but houses, motorcycles and other valuable properties were also burnt beyond recognition.

Among those attacked were Journalists invited to cover the coronation.

The attacked newsmen include Uchenna lnya, the Ebonyi State Correspondent of The Sun Newspaper, Chinelo Okoro of Radio Nigeria Unity FM, Abakaliki and others.

They were hit with stones and other dangerous weapons while coming out from the coronation venue.

Policemen, soldiers, a Magistrate attached to the state judiciary, Amaechi Nwakpa and many persons also escaped being killed.

The people of Nkomoro community have been at war over the selection of a traditional ruler in the Area.

However, the hired thugs invaded the election and coronation of a new traditional ruler of the community and disrupted the exercise.

Some members of the community had objected to the letter from the state Ministry of Local Government and chieftaincy matters, which ordered the coronation of a former Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chief Jacob Nwakpa.

The letter was read by Chika Igboke, the Coordinator of the Imoha Development Centre.

It was gathered that there was a court order restraining the election and coronation of a traditional ruler of the community.

Despite many pleadings that the exercise should not be held, Chief Jacob Nwakpa was coronated as the monarch

After the coronation, youths armed with weapons blocked the entry and exit points of Okpoku Eze secondary school venue of the exercise and started vandalizing vehicles.

DAILY POST gathered that the angry youths went inside the community and burnt some properties.

When contacted for Inquiry, the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joshua Ukandu, neither picked up several calls put across to him nor responded to text messages.