by Victor Edozie
The traditional ruler of Rumuoprikom community in Obio Akpor LGA of Rivers State, Eze Anthony Owabie, yesterday shot his son over differences on the planned visit to the community by Governor Chibuike Amaechi.
Rumuopirikom is the ancestral home of the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike. Governor Amaechi as part of his three-day visit to the local government area was scheduled to visit Rumuoprikom yesterday. The governor is on tour of councils in the state to assess the impact of his administration on the people.
Witnesses said hundreds of youths who heard of the planned visit gathered at the popular Wimpi junction and barricaded all entrances to the traditional ruler’s residence where the governor was expected to pay homage.
“The youths who have sympathy for the minister of education heard about it and threatened to disrupt the visit. They argued that the community is the main stead of the PDP and the governor should not visit the area. As the tension built and the youths were fast advancing to the palace of the monarch who is a strong supporter of Amaechi, in a bid to scare them away, the monarch fired gunshots which incidentally hit his own son, Clement Owabie. The boy sustained serious injuries and was immediately rushed to an undisclosed hospital”, a witness said. The irate youths vandalised the traditional ruler’s palace. He was thereafter arrested with four other persons by the police.
