NO fewer than 15 persons were
feared dead at Mputu, in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State,with 120
persons reportedly wounded in a tussle over royal stool .
Also, about 3,000 people were
said to have been displaced from the community in connection with the crisis.
It was gathered
that Mputu traditional ruler with his wife and cabinet members narrowly escaped
death, as some youths in the community, who were armed with knives, matchets
and other dangerous weapons, allegedly poured fuel on the palace of the
traditional ruler and torched the house while at a meeting with his cabinet.
The traditional ruler who, it was learnt, came from overseas with his wife for the purpose of
the meeting,was now in exile even sources claimed that the matter was not
unconnected with the long- standing tussle over the stool.
It was also gathered that the
sudden and mysterous death of one of of the kingmakers of the community, the
Odua of the community, who was said to be at loggerheads with the current
traditional ruler, before his death, was said to be the remote cause of the
crisis.
Meanwhile, the town has been
deserted as citizens of the community had taken refuge in neighbouring
communities of Anambra and Delta states, while security operatives had taken
over the town.
When contacted, the Ogbaru
Divisional Police Officer, was said to have left for the community, to assess
the situation while the Police DCO of the station, who preferred anonymity,
confirmed the crisis but referred reporters to the PPRO in Awka, for fuller
details.
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Society