As fresh reports (yet to be confirmed) emerge about a similar attack in another Ebonyi community, many are recalling a tragic incident that shook the state in 2023.
Gunmen invaded the residence of the traditional ruler of Umuezekoha community in Ezza North LGA, Eze Ewa, and shot him dead during the attack.
At the time, the monarch — who also served as Chairman of the Ezza North Traditional Rulers Council — was killed in his home while his family members reportedly fled and hid for safety.
Then Governor Dave Umahi confirmed the incident, describing it as a callous and barbaric act. According to him, the monarch’s son called from his hiding place during the attack, saying the gunmen had killed his father and were searching for other members of the family.
Security agencies including the police, army and DSS were immediately deployed to secure the compound and rescue those in hiding.
Umahi suggested the killing might have been politically motivated, alleging that the late monarch’s support for a particular political candidate may have angered rival interests.
Police authorities also confirmed the incident at the time and said investigations had begun to track down those responsible.
Notably, the royal father had reportedly survived an earlier assassination attempt in 2022, when attackers allegedly burned down his wife’s shop along the Enugu–Abakaliki Expressway.
Now, with unconfirmed reports of a similar attack surfacing in another Ebonyi community, residents are once again expressing concern about the safety of traditional rulers and community leaders in the state.