Monarch Torched by Armed Attackers: Police Launches Urgent Manhunt for Suspects
The Police Commissioner of Imo State Command, Audu Garba Bosso, has assigned tactical units with available operational resources to engage comprehensively, in collaboration with other security agencies, to pursue culprits believed to be accountable for the demise of the traditional leader of Ochia Autonomous Community, Eze Paulinus Ekwueme, who was incinerated by unidentified attackers.
In a press announcement, the Command’s representative, Henry Okoye, indicated that the occurrence transpired along Asa Awara Road, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of the state. He clarified that the dispatch of security forces to the region followed an urgent report received from Ohaji Police Division on April 10, 2026, signifying that armed intruders assaulted the monarch and killed him along with five other yet-to-be-identified victims. Okoye mentioned that upon receiving the notification, the CP swiftly mobilized and sent tactical teams to the location at Asa, where operatives retrieved the charred remains of the deceased individuals, which have since been transported and stored at the Federal University Teaching Hospital, FUTH, Owerri, for preservation and autopsy. “As a result, the Command has initiated a thorough investigation into the event, while rigorous operations are in progress to capture the fleeing suspects and recover any firearms in their possession. Sufficient security measures have also been established to prevent any future repetition of such a devastating incident in the locale and its surroundings,” the press release asserted. In light of the situation, the Police Commissioner and his management team have conducted an on-site evaluation and confidence-building tour to the Ochia Community to assure residents of the Command’s determination to restore tranquility and bolster a continual security presence in the impacted area. Expressing condolences to the family of the deceased monarch and other victims, the CP reassured Imo residents that the Command remains wholly dedicated to maintaining peace and security in the state, promising that in the near future, the offenders will be apprehended and subjected to the full extent of the law. He further encouraged members of the public with reliable information that could support the ongoing investigation to report to the nearest Police Station or reach out to the Command through the following emergency numbers: 0803 477 3600, 08148024755. The Command’s spokesperson vowed that additional updates will be communicated in due course.
