Panic Grips Anambra Community of Nri as Prominent Traditional Title Holder Is Gunned Down

Late Oba Mmaduka Arubaluezeama (Oba Muozuluaru)

Panic has gripped the ancient Nri community in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State following the murder of a prominent traditional title holder in the area, Oba Maduka Arubaluezeama.

A source in the community said there was tension and confusion following the assassination of Arubaluezeama, noting that his murder was allegedly being linked to the controversy surrounding the community’s traditional stool, which had remained vacant for more than eight years following the death of the traditional ruler, Eze Obidiegwu Onyeso.

The source disclosed that Arubaluezeama, whose traditional title was Oba Muozuluaru, was murdered at about 7 p.m. last Tuesday while supervising workers building a house for him at an estate located around the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) office in Nise, a neighbouring town to Nri.

According to the source, “The estate where Oba Muozuluaru was building his house is also under dispute because there are other multimillionaires who purchased plots of land there to build their houses. However, most people are pointing fingers at the controversy surrounding the Nri traditional stool.

“This is because a gang of suspected cultists had attacked Chief Sunday Alike and inflicted severe machete cuts on him about three years ago, just as he was stepping out of Oba Muozuluaru’s house in the evening.
“Only last year, the commander of the Nri Central Vigilante, Ogazi, was also assassinated in the evening, and many people suspected that the controversy surrounding the traditional stool might have been responsible for the unfortunate incident.
“Also, members of the Nri Nze-na-Ozo traditional society were reportedly attacked a few years ago while holding a meeting at the Agbadani Village Hall. Many fingers were again pointed at the traditional stool controversy as the possible reason for the attack.” the source said .

However, it was learnt that Oba Muozuluaru’s alleged assassins had first approached him on the fateful Tuesday evening and warned him to leave the building site.

The source said that when Oba Muozuluaru attempted to enter his vehicle to drive away, one of the gang members reportedly pulled out a gun and shot him several times, first in the waist and later in the head, causing fatal injuries.

The source further said that the community was relying on a professional investigation by the security agencies to identify and apprehend those responsible for the “dastardly” act.

Meanwhile, when contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Anambra State Police Command, Superintendent of Police (SP) Tochukwu Ikenga, told our reporter that he was not aware of the murder of Oba Muozuluaru.

He, however, promised to make inquiries and get back to the reporter. As of the time of filing this report, he had yet to provide further information.