Suspected arsonist have set ablaze the palace and properties of a self acclaimed monarch, HRH Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda-Shelika, Nyamkpa IV, in Kogi State.
It was gathered that the monarch’s vehicle and other properties within the palace were burnt in the incident which occurred in the early hours of Saturday.
Eyewitnesses narrated that the monarch narrowly escaped death.
It was earlier reported that the Chairman of Lokoja Local Government Area, Comrade Abdullahi Adamu, had issued a statement barring Dauda-Shelika from parading himself as the Etsu Nupe of Lokoja.
He was also stopped from going ahead with the planned coronation/celebration of the 2nd Edition of Nupe natives end of the year event, tagged ‘Lokoja ’24 Nupe Cultural Fiesta’, scheduled for December 21, 2024, before the incident occurred.
Narrating his ordeal to newsmen who visited the scene on Monday, the self acclaimed monarch said: “It was around 1:00 am at night that I had a big bang on my door and I woke up to check through the window, wondering what could have happened.
“Then, I suddenly saw wildfire coming out of my car as it had been set ablaze by attackers.
“I knew it was an attack on the palace, and therefore I could not come out because of fear of being attacked. So, I came out through the back door and scaled the fence to escape for my life.
“Thereafter, I came out to the road and realized that all my neighbors in the community were on ground trying hard to quench the fire, but unfortunately the car was burnt as well as other properties inside it.”
He explained that members of the planning committee for the event had a meeting till around 11:30 pm on Friday before departing to their various homes, lamenting that it was unfortunate that the cultural fiesta was aborted due to the incident.
Dauda-Shelika appealed to government and security agencies to investigate the cause of the attack and bring the perpetrators and their sponsors to justice.
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