Gunmen have kidnapped the traditional ruler of Umuezeala-Ama Kingdom in the Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, Aloy Igwe.

Sources said the monarch was kidnapped on Tuesday at Nkwo Umuezeala Market during a meeting with his kinsmen.

A source said, “He was kidnapped on Tuesday evening at the Umuezeala market square. Some guys carrying guns ordered him to enter their vehicle. The monarch obeyed and since then, his whereabouts has been unknown.”

This is the latest in a series of attacks on traditional rulers in the state.

On Sunday, two traditional rulers, Acho Ndukwe and Paul Ogbu, were kidnapped and their palaces razed.

While Ndukwe was rescued 24 hours later, the whereabouts of Ogbu had remained unknown.

On December 9, the traditional ruler of Mbutu ancient kingdom in the Aboh Mbaise LGA, Damian Nwaigwe, and his counterpart from Atta ancient kingdom in the Njaba LGA, Edwin Azike, were kidnapped separately.

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While Azike’s corpse was dumped at the market square, Nwaigwe was freed two days later.

A spokesperson for the police in the state, Micheal Abattam, had yet to respond to a text message seeking his reaction to the latest kidnap.