Traditional Stool Crisis: Police launch probe over death of 80-year-old man in Anambra

The police in Anambra State say they have begun an investigation into the death of the 80-year-old man, Paul Onwualu, in the state.

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The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, said in a statement on Tuesday that the operatives involved in the arrest of the victim have been identified.

“Preliminary information available to the Command reveals that the officers allegedly involved in the arrest before the sudden complication of the deceased’s health, which later led to his death, have been identified, but are not operatives attached to the Anambra State Police Command,” said Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police.

The spokesperson did not, however, mention the state where the unnamed officers were attached to.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Mr Onwualu died on Thursday after being allegedly assaulted during an attempted arrest at his residence in Nkpor, a community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The deceased was among candidates seeking to be elected as the traditional ruler of the community.

‘Currently being handled with seriousness’

Mr Ikenga said the police in Anambra have assured residents of the state that the matter was currently being handled with “the seriousness it deserves to ascertain the facts surrounding the unfortunate incident.”

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The spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ikioye Orutugu, has urged the residents to remain calm and allow the ongoing investigation to run its course.

Mr Orutugu, according to the statement, reaffirmed that the police in the state were committed to transparency, professionalism and the protection of lives and property.

How the man collapsed after assault during arrest

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the officers had visited Mr Onwualu’s residence in Nkpor on Thursday to arrest him over the traditional stool crisis in the community.

The traditional stool crisis has resulted in a lawsuit which is currently before a state high court in Ogidi, another community within the local government area.

The first hearing was billed to continue on Tuesday (today), this newspaper gathered.

The officers were reportedly accompanied by some individuals opposed to Mr Onwualu’s quest to emerge as the community’s traditional ruler.

It was gathered that octogenarian was beaten during the operation and later collapsed on his way to a police station.

The man was subsequently taken to Iyi-Enu Mission Hospital, Ogidi, where he was confirmed dead by medical personnel.

A nephew of the deceased, James Onwualu, said in a video clip uploaded on Facebook on Tuesday that the operatives scaled the deceased’s fence, broke his door and then arrested him amid assault.

James argued that the deceased was not among the aspirants for the traditional stool but was killed because he refused to accept a bribe to compromise the process.

The nephew claimed that unnamed individuals desperate to install a particular candidate as the traditional ruler were responsible for his uncle’s death.

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He expressed surprise that the officers attempted to arrest the octogenarian based on a petition filed in Abuja on 26 April without being first invited by the police.

“The traditional stool in Nkpor is never contested. It is rotated among families that produce king in the community and it is usually done in a customary way,” he said in Igbo language.

He contended that it was the turn of his family to produce the occupant of the traditional stool but some interested parties were determined to truncate the customary succession process.