BREAKING: Igwe Amichi in trouble, as Soldiers invade palace

By Chioma Abigail Mbah, Awka

The traditional ruler of Amichi, His Royal Highness, Igwe Barrister/Attorney Alphonsus Ofobuike Ezeoke is in trouble right now as soldiers have taken over his Palace.

Sources said the soldiers were on a mission to ensure nobody enters the Palace to visit the traditional ruler and to enforce a burial to take place inside the palace against the rules of the community after crowning Igwe Ezeoke.

The traditional Ruler has reached out to Governor Soludo Charles to intervene for peace but got no response. He has reached out to the Commissioner of Police, Echeng Eworo Echeng but got no response even the Nigerian Army without response.

The Military is breaching a court order stopping the burial in the palace without permission from the traditional throne.

Speaking to newsmen Igwe Ezeoke currently inside his Palace, confirmed the intrusion inside Palace, reiterating that he was shocked by the development in his place.

Our correspondent confirmed that there is a court order restraining the family of the Late William Ume-Ezeoke from conducting the burial inside the Palace of Igwe Amichi. The presence of the soldiers in the Palace of Igwe Amichi is in direct violation and flagrant action by the Nigerian military.

Igwe Ezeoke of Amichi informed us that he called the governor, His Excellency, Charles Soludo and also texted him about the incident with no response. Igwe also called and texted the Anambra state Commissioner of Police, Echeng Eworo Echeng, with no response. Igwe also texted and called General Faruk Yahaya, the Chief of Army Staff, with no response.

Read details of the saga below as we await Soludo’s reaction, that of the Commissioner of Police and Nigerian Army:

Nigerian Army Terrorizes Igwe Amichi Palace

Sequel to the declaration of war by the Nigerian military from the Onitsha Division on 17th March, 2017, during the forced burial of Late Mrs. Theresa William Ume-Ezeoke inside the Palace of Igwe Amichi, today being the 27th day of April 2023, the Nigerian military has again invaded the Palace of Igwe Amichi.

This time, Late Ugochukwu Ume-Ezeoke died on the 27th January 2023, and the family of Mrs. Theresa William Ume-Ezeoke once again has summoned the Nigerian soldiers in Igwe Amichi Palace to block the Palace and conduct another forced burial in the Palace.

Upon further inquiry, our correspondent discovered that there were about 4 military tanks in front of the Palace of Igwe Amichi.

In the process, the soldiers blocked the entrance of the Palace gate and interrogates all visitors to assure that their intentions were to attend the funeral or the soldiers will force the visitor to leave.

The current friction ensued when Ugochukwu Ume-Ezeoke died. Igwe Amichi granted permission to the family to bury Ugochukwu and conduct the funeral in the Palace. However, the Umeohimili family has a Bylaw that stipulated that any activity inside the Palace must be by written permission of the Igwe.

When Rev. Father Ferdinand Ume-Ezeoke of the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi, and the younger brother of late Ugochukwu was informed about the need for written permission, he flatly refused and immediately called the detractors of Igwe Amichi, who promised that they would help him to forcefully conduct the funeral. That is the crux of this matter.

The wealthy Amichi men found an opportunity to once again attack Igwe Amichi. Fr. Ferdinand obliged. The wealthy men could not resist the opportunity to once more engage Igwe Amichi in another fruitless war. These men previously attempted to overthrow Igwe Amichi by coopting Igwe’s cousin Afamefuna Ume-Ezeoke to accomplish the feat. The attempt failed. The wealthy Amichi men swore to find other avenues to attack the Igwe. The current invitation by Fr. Ferdinand to challenge the Igwe was all the wealthy Amichi men needed to launch the current attack on Igwe Amichi.

The Igwe of Amichi, His Royal Highness, Igwe Barrister/Attorney Alphonsus Ofobuike Ezeoke is currently inside his Palace and confirmed the intrusion inside his Palace.

Our correspondent confirmed that there is a court order restraining the family of Late William Ume-Ezeoke from conducting the burial inside the Palace of Igwe Amichi. The presence of the soldiers in the Palace of Igwe Amichi is in direct violation and flagrant action by the Nigerian military.

Igwe Ezeoke of Amichi informed us that he called the governor, His Excellency, Charles Soludo and also texted him about the incidence with no response. Igwe also called and texted the Anambra state Commissioner of Police, Echeng Eworo Echeng, with no response. Igwe also texted and called General Faruk Yahaya, the Chief of Army Staff, with no response.

All attempts to reach the Onitsha military commander have proven abortive.

Igwe promised that he will not use force because there is nothing that is worth the spilling of one drop of blood of an Amichi citizen. Igwe stated that “we will approach the court and seek redress from the court. Whatever the court decides as the appropriate punishment for the violation of the court’s injunction will be at the court’s discretion.

We call on the government of Anambra state and the Nigerian military to intervene in this callous and dangerous invasion of an Igwe’s palace without the permission of the Igwe. Amichi people are all law abiding citizens and the military should not be commandeered by the wealthy Amichians to intimidate their Igwe. There are wealthy Amichi people who have sworn to use the long arm of the government to fight the Igwe Amichi due to the resistance of the Igwe towards those men who are forcefully attempting to take Igwe’s inherited land.