Gunmen have razed the country home of the traditional ruler of Ndia Iche Arondizuogu community in the Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, Eze Kanu Ikenolu.
The development has caused panic in the community as villagers including the household of the monarch fled into bushes.
It was gathered that on arrival, the attackers threw explosives into the mansion which led to the burning of the house, the properties in it and vehicles parked at the compound.
It was further gathered that the compound which houses the traditional ruler's home and his palace were heavily attacked by the invaders.
A villager who doesn't want to be mentioned told our correspondent that properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed by the arsonists.
He decried the police's inability to intervene as they were told as the arsonists struck.
The villager said" the palace of HRH Eze Ikenolu, the Eze of Ndia iche Arondizuogu has been invaded by the Unknown Gunmen and the people are in the bushes now."
Frustrated by the police's inability to respond, in an update a while later he said "until now no response from the police about the palace of HRH Eze Kanu in Ndianiche Arondizuogu, where cars, house and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed. Or is Arondizuogu no longer part of Imo State?."
The spokesperson for the police in the state Henry Okoye who confirmed the arson to our correspondent said "frantic investigating efforts are on top gear to arrest the arsonists and bring them to justice."