The traditional ruler whose identity was given as the Agunechemba 1 of Etche and Omuma, Eze Napoleon Amadi has been allegedly murdered by gunmen suspected to be hired assassins.
The gunmen were said to have stormed his house at Chokocho Community in Etche, penultimate Thursday night, and shot him dead.
An eyewitness told The Tide during a visit that the deceased had earlier penultimate Monday received a threat note, warning him of his impending death.
A copy of the note made available to The Tide reads: “Agunaechemba, you will soon die like a fool that you are.
“You are just standing alone. To be honest with you, you may think that you have boys, but you don’t know they are now men, and their wives and children are more important to them, not you.
“Your death will be a silent one, and the entire jungle will celebrate, even your household.
“Beware your end is near, eye on you 24/7. You wage a war and forget you stand alone. You will soon die, and whoever stands on our way will join you”.
However, the eldest son of the deceased, Mr. Uwadiegwu Napoleon Amadi confirmed that he got a distress call around 10pm penultimate Thursday that his father has been assassinated.
He alleged that his step mother, Mrs Gladys Amadi, was the only person in the house when the incident occurred.
Uwadiegwu urged the police to carry out thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of his father.
Also speaking, the second son of the late Eze, Bobby Napoleon Amadi said the killers of his father must not be allowed to move freely.
He said the death of his father was a big blow to the family.
Elder brother to the deceased, Engr. Ogbonna Amadi said the family would not rest until the perpetrators of the crime are brought to book.
A youth leader in the community, Mike Agbam said it was an abomination for an Eze to be killed in that manner.
The Tide gathered that wife of the deceased, Mrs Gladys Amadi, has been arrested, and is now being detained at the Umuebule Police Station.
When The Tide visited the police station, the authorities said that only the state police public relations officer could comment on the matter.
But when contacted, last Tuesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nnamdi Omoni, said he was yet to be briefed on the matter, and promised to revert once details on the incident were available.
However, as at yesterday, Omoni restated that he was yet to get details of the suspected assassination incident.

By: John Bibor