The Onu Itama, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, Chief Job Shagari Ebijego has been assassinated by unknown gunmen.
He was reportedly killed Monday evening near his palace in the Itama community, Dekina Local Government area of the state.
Relatives suspect that the hired assassins were trailing the monarch while he was taking a stroll within his palace around 9 pm when shooting started. The subjects of the late traditional ruler and his personal guards could not come out to ascertain what was happening immediately until the shooting seized.
After the killing of the monarch,the assassins fled the scene with their motorcycle leaving the lifeless body of the traditional ruler on the road close to his palace in Itama community.
Sources say that even though they could not ascertain the real reason why the monarch was assassinated, the late Onu Itama has been on a series of chieftaincy tussles and land dispute matters with some groups of people in the community since his assumption of office.
The death of the monarch has thrown the community into crisis as criminals have taken over Itama community. Aggrieved by the tragic incident, youths in the community woke up on Tuesday morning and started burning houses and destroying the property of those suspected to be behind the brutal murder of the community chief. Police personnel were immediately drafted from the Egume Divisional Police Office alongside some army personnel on ground to the community to keep peace.
Sources in the community said that no fewer than 12 youths had been arrested by the combined forces while many fled the community.
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Reports have been gathered that the community has been deserted as many residents of Itama community took to their heels over fear of arrest or being hurt by the angry youths on a rampage. It was further gathered that some neighbouring communities like Elubi, Acharu and Egume suddenly became refugee camps.
Another group of youths stormed the Itama community on Tuesday night, looted large quantities of palm oil, food items and property worth thousands of naira and set houses ablaze.
The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Egume, identified as Pere, has deployed personnel to the community to restore normalcy.
All efforts to speak with the Kogi State Police Police Public Relations Officer, SP. Williams Ovye Aya proved abortive as he did not pick his calls or respond to text messages sent to his phone lines.
Late Chief Job Shagari Ebijego was until his death a retired Police officer at Kaduna Police Command in Kaduna State.
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