Soldier, Widower Killed As Gunmen Abduct Monarch In Rivers

A soldier was, Sunday night, shot dead along with a widower by unknown armed men who kidnapped Chief Emmanuel Obisike Eche, Eze Ochialiri II, the paramount ruler of  Rumuji community in Emohua Local Government of Rivers State.

The army officer, Chikodi Onu, a native of  the community, who has just been posted to Lagos was in his Rumuoji home to visit his extended family when he met his untimely death.
He and Sampson Ihunwo, a widower with eight children, were said to have confronted the gunmen while they were taking the monarch away.
Eche Kenneth, one of Eze Eche’s sons said his father’s abductors struck at about 9 p.m, using a Toyota Camry car.
He said: “They could not identify my father the first time. One of them, however, got to know him through a photograph in the palace. Then, they went outside where my father was sitting and dragged him into the vehicle’s trunk.
“The soldier who thought they were policemen confronted them and they shot him dead on the spot while Ihunwo who pointed a torch light at them was also  killed.”
The monarch’s family said it was yet to get any contact about his whereabouts. While the remains of the soldier had been deposited at Military Hospital, Port Harcourt that of Ihunwo in an unknown mortuary.
The Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Ben Ugwuegbulam, could not be reached for confirmation of the incident at press time.