There is panic in the Ebenebe community, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State as hoodlums suspected to be cultists invaded the palace of the traditional ruler, Igwe Christopher Nnaegbune and his subjects, where they destroyed property.

The incident is coming barely five months after a suspected cult group attacked and killed about 20 persons during a burial in the community.

City Round learnt that the incident occurred between midnight on Monday, but no life was lost.

A source said the hoodlums who came in groups attacked the palace while the monarch and his subjects were asleep, shooting indiscriminately in the air. No reason was given for the attack.

The source said, “Hoodlums invaded the palace of the traditional ruler of Ebenebe, around midnight on Monday. The Igwe had gone to sleep. They came prepared for war; some were beating Ogene (metal gongs), while others shot in the air.

“When no one opened the gate for them, they forced it open, using their clubs and other weapons. However, they met no one outside the premises. After making a noise, they left.”

The hoodlums were said to have visited the compound of one late Chief Okoye at Obuno village, in search of a youth leader, identified as Mr Chukwujekwu Okoye, during which they vandalised aluminium doors, windows, chairs, generators and other property in the two buildings in the compound.

Although there was no information on the reason for the attack, a source, who claimed to be awake when the incident occurred, said he overheard the hoodlums saying they came to attack a member of the family.

The eyewitness said Okoye, who is the Chairman of the Obuno village youths, always used guards to chase away hoodlums from the community, and the monarch was also against their activities; a situation it was learnt angered them.

A member of the family, Mr Festus Okoye, said he narrowly escaped death on the day of the incident, as the hoodlums, on discovering that he was inside one of the rooms with his family, ordered them to come out.

“Our life is in danger. When they forced our entrance gate open, they went round our compound, destroying all the glass and doors to see if there were people inside any of the rooms.

“It was in the process that they discovered that I was inside with my wife and my child. They ordered us to come outside. But I pleaded with them. On hearing my voice, they said ‘Oh he is a man of God, let us leave him.’ That was how they spared my family,” Okoye stated.

Corroborating his account, Mr Chukwujekwu Okoye, who has gone into hiding since the incident, said he reported the matter to the police, and called for the intervention of the state government. He said that his life and those of his family members were in danger because the hoodlums were still threatening to kill him.

Contacted, the traditional ruler of Ebenebe, Igwe Christopher Nnaegbune, stated that there was an attack on his palace by hoodlums, but promised to provide details later.

In his reaction, the state police spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, said he had yet to receive such information.