NIGER DELTA; Kidnappers Storm Church, Abduct Monarch

PHOTO: SOME NIGER DELTA GUN MEN.

Warri, Delta March 23, (THEWILL)- A first-class traditional ruler and secretary of Ndi-Eze in Owerri-West Local Government Area of Imo State, Eze H.M. Obichere, Eze Ola 1 of Oforola was weekend abducted by unknown gunmen, who stormed his hometown and whisked him away at gunpoint.

THEWILL leant the gunmen; numbering six stormed an Anglican Church, located some meters away from his palace, where the traditional ruler had gone for the Sunday worship at about 11am.

According to an eyewitness account, the 9am mass at the Church, which Eze Obichere attended, was still on when the hoodlums, who arrived in black SUV, struck.

The hoodlums were said to have trailed the traditional ruler to the church, where they waited at a near-by beer parlour for church service to end. They allegedly sent for him in the guise to have him remove his car, which they claimed was blocking their own car.

"The moment the traditional ruler stepped out of the church, the hoodlums pounced on him, shooting into air as they forced him into their waiting jeep and sped off to an unknown destination," said one of the natives, who wouldn’t want his name in print.

As at press time, the whereabout of the traditional ruler is still unknown.