Tension mounts in Anambra community over assassination of traditional title holder

---

---

By Madu Obi

Panic pervaded the sleepy 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,

It was gathered that when he made to enter his car to drive out, one of the gang members pulled a gun and fired him severally, first on his waist and later on his head, spilling his brain.

The incident has created tension in the area especially as his murder is being linked to the controversy around the community's traditional stool that became vacant about eight years ago after Eze Obidiegwu Onyesoof Nri joined his ancestors.

A source in the community said that Arubaluezeama, who held the traditional title of "Oba Muozuluaru" was murdered at about 7 pm last Tuesday where he had gone to supervise workers building a house for him in an estate located around the WAEC office area in Nise, a neighbouring town to his Nri community.

The source said: "That estate where Oba Muozuluaru is building his house is also under dispute because there are other millionaires who also purchased their own plots of land there to build their own houses, but, most people are pointing their fingers at the controversy around the Nri traditional stool because a gang of suspected cultists had attacked Chief Sunday Alike, and, inflicted severe matchet cuts on him just as he was stepping out from Oba Muozuluaru's house in the evening about three years ago.

"Just last year, the commander of Nri Central vigilante, Ogazi was, also assassinated in the evening, and, many people are suspecting the controversy around the traditional stool as the cause of the unfortunate happenings.

"Also, members of the Nri traditional society were attacked few years ago, while they were holding their meeting at Agbadani village hall, and fingers were pointed at the traditional stool controversy as the reason for the attack."

It was gathered that his alleged assassins had on that Tuesday night warned him to leave his building site immediately.

The source further said that the community was relying on the professional investigation of the security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga said that he was not aware of the murder, promising, however, to make inquiries about the report.