Nri Traditional Title Holder Shot Dead at Building Site Amid Kingship Tussle in Anambra

Tension has gripped Nri Community in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State after a traditional title holder, Oba Maduka Arubaluezeama, was shot dead at a building site where he had gone to supervise work on his property.

Arubaluezeama, popularly known as Oba Muozuluaru, was reportedly killed at about 7pm on Tuesday in neighbouring Nise. A community source said the attackers confronted him at the site and ordered him to leave before shooting him as he attempted to get into his vehicle.

The motive for the killing remains unclear, but residents have raised concerns about the long-running dispute over the vacant traditional stool in Nri. The community has been without a monarch for about eight years following the death of Eze Obidiegwu Onyeso, while repeated efforts to select a successor have been followed by disagreements among indigenes.

The deceased had reportedly been vocal in the controversy surrounding the kingship. However, the source also pointed to an ongoing dispute over the estate where Arubaluezeama was developing his property, saying several wealthy individuals had acquired plots in the area.

The killing has also revived concerns over a series of violent incidents allegedly linked by some residents to the traditional leadership dispute. The source cited the previous attack on Chief Sunday Alike, who was reportedly assaulted after leaving Arubaluezeama’s residence, as well as the killing of Nri Central Vigilante commander, Ogazi, last year.

Residents also recalled an earlier attack on members of the Nri Nze-na-Ozor traditional society during a meeting at Agbadani village hall. The incidents have heightened fears that the unresolved kingship crisis could be contributing to insecurity in the community, although no official link has been established.

The latest killing has plunged Nri into mourning, with residents calling for a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding Arubaluezeama’s death and identify those responsible. As of the time of filing the report, however, Anambra State Police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said he was not aware of the incident.