Unidentified men on Monday afternoon reportedly attacked and murdered the traditional ruler of Ogbozine Akpugo, in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, Igwe Nwatu.

Reports say Nwatu was  ambushed and killed by unknown persons while he was returning from a court sitting at Nkanu, the local government headquarters.

Sources said that Nwatu had sought the help of men of the Nigeria Police to trail and apprehend one of his subjects who had some issues with him when they were waylaid by a group of people and beaten to stupor.

The attackers had reportedly disarmed his police orderlies before descending heavily on them. The Divisional Police Officer for Nkanu West  was said to have mobilized his men and rushed to the scene on getting wind of the attack.

Having bneen heavily injured and bleeding from the beatings, the monarch was  rushed to Orient Hospital located in the area, where Nwatu was given some first aid treatment before he was transferred to the Parklane Hospital in Enugu metropolis, where he gave up the ghost last night.

The late Nwatu was said to have been at loggerheads with some of his subjects who had accused him of highhandedness, as well as complained of imposition of arbitrary and illegal levies on them.

Last month, young men, women and youths from his domain, besieged the Nkanu police station in protest over the arrest of some town union presidents based on alleged false petitions against them by the traditional ruler.

It reportedly took the timely intervention of the state Police Commissioner, Danmalam Muhammad to bring the situation under control.

The police at Nkanu have however recovered one the riffles snatched from one of the policemen guarding late Igwe Nwatu as at the time of the incident.

Family members of the late monarch have also confirmed that the late traditional ruler died from the serious injuries he sustained during the attack at Park Lane Hospital on Monday night.