The traditional ruler of Okon-Aku, His Royal Highness, Eze Engr. Ndukwe Iko (Nnaka IV of Okon-Aku), has reacted to the violent attack on his palace which resulted in the burning of multiple buildings and properties, describing the incident as traumatic while indicating that he would make a comprehensive statement at a later time.
According to the monarch’s personal account, his palace was set ablaze by hired hoodlums and criminal elements, acting under the pretext of the alleged murder of Akuma Akwu Igwe, a youth from the community—an incident in which he stated he has no direct involvement.
The attack led to widespread destruction within the palace premises.
“All vehicles were burnt, and everything was either looted, vandalised, or completely destroyed,” the monarch stated.
He further disclosed that he and members of his family were trapped inside the burning palace, fighting for their lives as the fire raged for over two hours—an experience he described as harrowing and traumatizing for his household.
“My premises were in blazes of fire, with myself and all my family members trapped in the inferno. We were inside the burning house for about two hours before the Deputy Governor of Abia State and his security team came to rescue us,” HRH Eze Engr. Ndukwe Iko recounted. “It was harrowing and traumatizing.”
The inferno reportedly destroyed four buildings within the palace, including the powerhouse, dealing a heavy blow to the traditional institution and the royal household.
Despite the scale of the destruction, the monarch expressed gratitude to God for sparing his life and those of his family members, noting that the incident could have resulted in fatalities.
Importantly, HRH Eze Engr. Ndukwe Iko has called on the people of Okon-Aku to remain calm, embrace peace, and allow normalcy to return to the community, while urging relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that those responsible are identified and brought to book.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies are said to be investigating the attack to identify and apprehend those behind the incident. While the atmosphere in Okon-Aku remains tense, calls for calm, justice, and the restoration of peace have continued.
HRH Eze Engr. Ndukwe Iko (Nnaka IV of Okon-Aku) has assured that he will address the public fully on the incident at the appropriate time.
