The killing of a traditional ruler, Igwe Emmanuel Mba in Enugu state by the newly formed Special Weapons and Tactics Team, SWAT is causing great panic in the state, as youths in the area have now risen in anger.
The monarch is the traditional ruler of Oruku community in the Nkanu East Local Government Area and was killed during a town hall meeting by SWAT operatives, allegedly led by one Inspector Danladi, according to Punch.
Sources in the community, said a combined team of soldiers, policemen, and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps had been deployed in the community to restore calm, even the rampaging youths had following the event, unleashed mayhem, burning several buildings and houses.
According to eyewitnesses, the policemen, who stormed the community in two vehicles, and in mufti wielding AK-47 rifles, invaded the venue where some leaders of the community were holding meeting.They were said not to have disclosed their mission but rather sought to see the monarch.
The sources said they were escorted to the town hall by three natives of Oruku identified as Emmanuel Nwobodo, Onyema Edeh, and Sunday Onunze, who also left with the cops in the same vehicles.
The source stated, “The traditional ruler was presiding over the meeting and the three natives pointed at him; immediately one of the policemen shot him on the thigh and he fell down and was bleeding.
“There was confusion after the monarch was shot. Everybody in the hall ran for safety as the armed men started shooting in all directions. Amidst the confusion, they made attempts to arrest some of those at the meeting.”
The monarch later died at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu and his corpse has now been deposited in the National Orthopaedic Hospital mortuary. Mba was elected by his community on December 26, 2019.
