Gunmen Kill Monarch In Ahoada

A prominent traditional ruler, Eze Collins Alali, the Eze Emene Ekamini 1 of Igbu Orlukwor of Ekpeye Kingdom, has been allegedly assassinated in cold blood on his way to his country home in Oshigbokor community in Ahoada East Local Government Area, Rivers State.
The one-time President of Uzugbani Umu Egwele Ugbulu of Ekpeyeland was cruising home in his Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) to preside over several cases which he was handling in his palace when the gunmen struck last Friday, and assassinated him.
His wife, Mrs. Blessing Alali, who narrated the incident to The Tide, said that both of them arranged to travel to the village that eventful day, but providence saved her.
“He asked me to wait for him along the road so that he would pick me as he was driving from Ahoada. I could not exercise patience, because he had called me more than two times to wait for him but he did not come. I had to join motorcycle to Oshigbokor, and I told him to come behind,’’ the wife said.
The grief-stricken Mrs Alali said that about ten minutes after her arrival in the village, she had a phone call alerting her that her husband had been gunned down by three armed bandits.
According to Mrs. Alali, the unknown gunmen waylaid him along Okporowo Road, shot on the tyres of his Jeep, before raining several gun shots on him.
His first son, Henry Chinwute Alali, told The Tide, that one of his friends intimated him on phone that his father had been killed on his way home, and that he should rush to the scene.
He noted that his friend told him that the assailants shot sporadically into the air to scare away passersby, adding that the gunmen, who sang “Eze Alali na we kill am,” “Eze Alali na we kill am’’ , mounted on their motorbike and zoomed off, after singing for a few minutes.
Henry added that the body has been deposited at the morgue in Ahoada.
On his part, the Eze’s younger brother, Hon. Pedro Alali, threatened that those behind the gruesome murder of Eze Alali have no hiding place.
Pedro blamed the police for their lackadaisical attitude towards responding to distressed calls, arguing that if the police could not save lives anymore when people are in danger, government should allow the use of gun by individuals in order to protect themselves from sudden aggression.
Meanwhile, confidential sources have alleged that some persons who have been fingered in the assassination of the Eze, are already making desperate moves to relocate to stave off any reprisal attacks.
It would be recalled that in 2008, gunmen who were led by a youth from Oshiogbokor community were rounded off by residents of Ula-Ikata community, around Eze Alali’s country home.
On interrogation, they revealed clues to their future clandestine plans, asserting that they were dispatched to snuff life out of the paramount ruler or his wife.
As at the time of this latest incident, the case was yet to come to its logical conclusion, with all the accused persons allegedly let off the hook.
Eze Alali was reported to have escaped several fatal attacks; including many this year by strange faces.
However, the police in Ahoada, which confirmed the incident, said they have taken the corpse of the Eze to an undisclosed mortuary, and did not give further detail on their investigation of the matter.