Tension has enveloped the sleepy community of Mburubu in Nkanu East Local Government of Enugu State, following reported clash between supporters of the two candidates laying claim to the community’s royal stool.
The clash, which occurred on Sunday, reportedly left some villagers, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ward Chairman in Mburubu, Mr. Egbo Stephen, injured.
Mburubu has been plagued with crisis, as the community is set to replace its deceased traditional ruler, His Majesty, Igwe Em manuel Ezeh (Ozulumba I of Mburubu Kingdom).
The move pola nuokaibe and High Chief Linus Igbudu – laid claims as the authentic Igwe-elect for the stool.
It was gathered that one of the claimants to the throne, Chief Onuokaibe, had a reception organised for him at the public primary school in the area last Saturday.
The event, it was gathered, did not go down well with some members of the community, who, our correspondent learnt, used town criers last Friday to announce fines for anybody that would attend the event.
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Trouble was, however, said to have started when on Sunday morning, some people went to the houses of the ‘defaulting persons’ and took away some of their belongings pending when they paid the fines, an action that resulted in free-for-all and injuries.
Speaking with reporters, the Chairman of PDP in Mburubu Ward, Egbo Stephen, thanked God for saving him, his family and other community members.
Accusing the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Prince Lawrence Ozoemena Ezeh, of sponsoring the attacks, Egbo said some of the villagers had run to other villages in search of safety.
Prince Eze denied having a hand in the incident.
He said he got the information while in the church on Sunday and asked the divisional police officer in charge of Nkanu East Local Government to ensure anybody whose property is seized gets it back.
He, however, accused one of the Igweship contestants, Chief Onuokaibe, of sponsoring smear campaign against him “to see whether he can achieve his bogus claim of being the traditional ruler of my community.”