The police on Monday repelled an attempt to set ablaze the palace of Eze Amaifeke in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State, Emmanuel Okeke.
Okeke is the Chairman of Imo State Traditional Rulers Council.
The hoodlums, who the police suspect to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB and its enforcement arm the Eastern Security Network (ESN), stormed the palace at about 1am.
The Command’s tactical teams deployed to communities to monitor palaces along with the vigilante group engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel.
The Command’s spokesman Michael Abattam, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said one of the hoodlums was killed.
Others escaped with gunshot injuries, he said.
He said: “Today, the 3rd of January, 2022 at about 0100hrs, the Command’s tactical teams working in synergy with vigilante group of the area were able to repel the attack/attempt to set the palace of Eze Imo HRH Eze Dr E. C. Okeke on fire by men suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB/ESN group at Ezioha Amaifeke in Orlu LGA of Owerri, lmo State .
“The hoodlums, in their numbers, besieged the palace of the traditional ruler armed with assorted weapons but were subdued by the superior fire-power of the Command’s tactical teams and in the process one of the hoodlums was neutralised while others fled into the bush with bullet injuries.”
Charms were seen tied round the waist of the dead hoodlum.
The police said one identity card, one locally-made improvised explosive device, five bottles of petrol, N20,000 cash and one pump action gun with four live cartridges were recovered.
Abattam said the command’s tactical teams were combing the bush for the fleeing members of the gang.