Some suspected hoodlums on Saturday attacked the palace of Etsu Lokoja, HRH Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda-Shelika, Nyamkpa IV, burning his vehicle and properties.
The palace which was located on plot 306, New Layout, Lokoja, was allegedly attacked by hoodlums at about 1:00am on Saturday. They burnt his vehicles while the monarch narrowly escaped by scaling the fence.
Our reporter gathered that Nupe Natives of Lokoja Development Union was planning to host the 2nd Edition of Nupe Natives end of the year event, tagged: “Lokoja ’24 Nupe Cultural Fiesta”, on Dec. 21, 2024, before the incident occurred.
The event was, however, aborted due to the unfortunate attack at early hour on Saturday around 1:00am, when many Nupe natives from neighboring States had started arriving.
Narrating his ordeal to our Reporter who visited the scene on Monday, the Etsu Lokoja, HRH Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda-Shelika, Nyamkpa IV, said: “It was around 1 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 wild fire coming out of my car as it had been set ablazed 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 managed to come 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 ugly incident.
Dauda-Shelika appealed for calm from his subjects, called on the government and security agencies to investigate the cause of the attack and bring perpetrators and their sponsors to justice.
“We are appealing to His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, and security agencies to please use their good offices to investigate this unfortunate incident, and bring to justice whoever is concerned whether directly or indirectly.
“We also want government to kindly visit our issues by recognizing and grading the stool of Etsu Lokoja which had been in existence before colonisation.
“By officially recognising and grading Etsu Lokoja stool, we know everything will be laid to rest because that is the power of the government.
“If government remain silent and look away, it leaves the door open for this kind of things to happen. And as a people, we will not want to see such things continuing to happen.
“I urge my people to remain as peaceful and law abiding as we have always been because this incident has drawn the attention of government to our issue,” Dauda-Sheika added.
He noted that the Executive Chairman of Lokoja LGA and his security apparatus came for on-the-spot assessment that Saturday morning as well as the Police, DSS and NSCDC.
