Mystery Fire Razes Palace, 30 Houses …Claim 61-yr-old Man

The Palace of Nyeweli, and paramount ruler of Rumuwoji community in Port Harcourt City Local Government of Rivers State, Eze John Dike mysteriously went up in flames at the weekend, with over 30 houses and shops stocked with goods worth millions of Naira destroyed.

The fire also claimed the life of a 61-year-old man, Mr. Monima George, a tenant in the yard.

The Tide learnt that the fire started at about 11pm on Sunday, a few hours after the monarch finished meeting with his tenants.

The Tide further learnt that a nearby warehouse stocked with items, particularly, provisions were also burnt.

An eye-witness said the late George had been ill for some months and could not escape during the inferno, adding that the monarch was hurriedly moved out of the house by one of the neighbours in the community.

Although the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, there are allegations that some dissident youth leaders of the community, who threatened the chief during a gathering were behind the attack.

It was alleged that prior to the incident, the monarch had received some threat text messages for his role in the dissolution of one Dickson Worlu-led youth care-taker executive in the area.

An indigene of the area, who spoke under anonymity said the fire was a reprisal attack from the dissolved youth executive.

According to him, since the monarch’s dissolution of the community youth leadership, things, have not been going well.

He disclosed that the trouble heightened on Sunday when the monarch and the elders wanted to hold a meeting at the community hall but could not have access to the venue as it was said to have been locked by the dissolved executive.

He further disclosed that the situation did not go down well with the Chief and Elders, which prompted the monarch to order that the hall be forced open to enable them have access to the area.