By STEPHEN ADELEYE

Some suspected hoodlums on Saturday attacked the palace of Etsu Lokoja, Chief Emmanuel Dauda-Shelika, Nyamkpa IV, burning properties within the premises, including a vehicle.

The palace, located on plot 306, New Layout, Lokoja, was allegedly attacked by hoodlums at about 1:00 am on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nupe Natives of Lokoja Development Union were planning to host the 2nd edition of the 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.

Dauda-Shelika told NAN on Monday in Lokoja that he heard a big bang on his door at around 1 am.

?I woke up to check through the window, wondering what could have happened.

?Then, I suddenly saw wildfire coming out of my car that was 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 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 realised that all my neighbours in the community were on the ground trying hard to quench the fire, but unfortunately the car was burnt as well as other properties inside it.?

The traditional ruler appealed to the government and security agencies to investigate the cause of the attack and bring perpetrators and their sponsors to justice.

He admonished Nupe natives in Lokoja to avoid any reprisal attack but continue to remain peaceful and law abiding and allow the government and security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation of the attack.

?We are appealing to Gov. Ahmed 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 the government to kindly visit our issues by recognising and grading the stool of Etsu Lokoja, which had been in existence before colonisation,? he said.

He stated that the Lokoja Local Government Area chairman and his security team came for an on-the-spot assessment that Saturday morning, as well as the police and other security outfits.

The National President, Nupe Natives Union Lokoja, Alh. Abubakar Ndashite, said the event scheduled for Saturday was a celebration of Nupe cultural heritage and not any form of coronation as being insinuated from some quarters.

Ndashite, who doubles as the chairman of the planning committee, said the aborted event was to project the Nupe spirit and culture as well as the rich history of the diversely composed Lokoja community and the peaceful and harmonious coexistence among her.

He expressed his displeasure over the aborted cultural event, noting that the union had expended so much on it, and urged the government to bring perpetrators to book. (NAN, excluding headline)

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