TRADITIONAL RULER, FIVE OTHERS KILLED AND BURNT BY GUNMEN IN BRUTAL IMO ATTACK. (PHOTO).

 Traditional Ruler, Five Others Killed and Burnt by Gunmen in Brutal Imo Attack

A tragic incident has thrown Ochia Autonomous Community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, Imo State, into mourning after unidentified gunmen brutally killed six people, including the community’s traditional ruler, Eze Paulinus Ekwueme.

The victims were the monarch, two of his brothers, his driver, and his security aides. They were attacked on Friday, and after carrying out the killings, the assailants reportedly set the victims’ bodies on fire along with the traditional ruler’s official vehicle.

Eze Ekwueme had recently returned to the community due to health challenges. His visit was aimed at reconnecting with his people, and earlier that day, he had attended a meeting with women in the area. Shortly after the meeting, he and those accompanying him were ambushed along Asa Awara Road by armed men who opened fire and killed them.

Information circulating online, including a video of the aftermath, indicates that the attackers acted with extreme brutality, burning the victims at the scene immediately after the attack.

Confirming the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Audu Garba Bosso, condemned the attack and described it as heinous. He assured residents that security operatives have been deployed and that tactical teams are actively working to track down and arrest those responsible.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Okoye Henry, said that the Imo State Police Command received a distress report at about 4:30 p.m. on April 10, 2026, informing them of an attack on the traditional ruler along Asa Awara Road. Following the alert, tactical teams were dispatched to the scene in Assa, Imo State, where officers recovered the charred remains of the victims.

Authorities have since intensified investigations as efforts continue to bring the perpetrators to justice.