A 65-year-old traditional ruler from Omabo village in Ibaji local government area of Kogi State, Chief James Onyekwe, has been reportedly killed by yet to be identified gunmen in his domain during a communal crisis over the traditional stool of the village.
Daily Trust gathered that Chief Onyekwe was killed alongside his wife and six other family members during the Sallah period.
According to a source in the village, the deceased traditional ruler who is the Onu of Omabo village, a third class chief had been having a running battle with his kinsmen since he was appointed as the Onu-Omobo of the village by the state government.
The source who craved anonymity, said as a result of the development, the traditional ruler had been operating from Idah, a nearby town close to his community.
"The community members were not happy with his emergence to the throne, alleging that Chief Onyekwe was imposed on them by some powerful indigenes of the village in Governor Ibrahim Idris' cabinet," the source said.
The crisis reached its climax on Sallah day, 6th November, 2011, when the traditional ruler in company of his wife and other family members decided to travel to the village to celebrate the Sallah festival," he said.
On getting to the village, the source said, the villagers organized a protest match against his return to the village, claiming that his return would not augur well for the peaceful co-existence of the villagers.
It was further gathered that the protest which was peaceful, however turned violent when one of the relations of the traditional ruler believed to be his junior brother was alleged to have shot one of the protesters dead with a locally made gun.
The development was said to have led to a fight between the supporters of the traditional ruler and his kinsmen which led to some unknown persons beheading the traditional ruler, his wife and six other members of his family.
The source said that some of the community members have been arrested by men of the Kogi State command of the Nigeria Police Force in connection with the killing.
When contacted, the Police Public Relation officer [PPRO], Mr. Okasanmi Ajayi an Assistant Superintendent of Police [ASP] confirmed the incident, saying the situation is now under control.
He said though a size-able number of people have been arrested in connection with the incident, investigation was still ongoing to fish out those responsible for the killing.
DailyTrust