The king of Umueze community in Mbaitoli, Imo State has been arrested for allegedly killing an Imo State University fresh graduate on Wednesday following a dispute.
HRH Eze Opara allegedly shot Uchenna Opara Junior on the chest then ran away and in retaliation, the youth of the community set his palace and oil mill ablaze (read here). The police have now been involved in the matter and the king has been taken into custody

According to witnesses, the killing took place on Wednesday evening at the community’s primary school playground. It all began when the youth of the community who made use of the playground for their football training challenged the son of the monarch, Temple Opara, for trying to take over the field with a football team he brought from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, without informing the youths who had been cleaning the pitch for a long time. The Prince pleaded with the youths and settled them with N10,000 but the king was angered when he heard about it and he drove to the field with his guards and demanded that the youths return the money.
As he scolded the youths, one of his guards, Atuonye Opara, went to the car and brought out a gun which the king collected and aimed at the youths, threatening them. His personal assistant quickly stepped in to retrieve the gun but the king struggled to maintain hold of it and it was during the tussle that the king pulled the trigger and Uchenna was hit in the chest.
The 2017 graduate of Library and Information Science was rushed to a clinic where he was confirmed dead. Uchenna was supposed to go for NYSC in March 2018.
The state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, confirmed the king has been arrested and investigation is currently going on to get to the root of the matter.