The Onitsha Traditional Council has debunked media reports that its traditional ruler, HRM Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, was in the train bombed last Monday by bandits on Abuja-Kaduna rail line.
A statement signed by the Chief of Staff, Ime Obi Onitsha Traditional Council, Chinyelugo Anionwu, stated that Achebe went to Kaduna on March 28 through road.
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Anionwu said Achebe was in Kaduna at the invitation of Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji where he delivered a lecture on Internal Security the next day.
The statement read in part, “The Council is surprised that days after the unfortunate incident, Achebe attended event in Enugu where he explained that he had originally planned to board the attacked train, but later changed his travel plan.
“Due to the story narrated by Obi in Enugu during the South East Leadership Press Conference, a news media decided to publish that our traditional ruler was in the train which is false.
“The entire country is in dire straights on internal security and anyone could be a victim in the situation that we currently face, for instance, the unfortunate victims of the train attack. Thus, it is absolutely callous for anyone to use such a distressful national tragedy to grab fake media attention.
“People who know His Majesty would attest that he does his utmost as a royal father to advance the cause of peace, harmony, and progress in the entire country in a quiet and unobtrusive manner, and away from the public glare of the media. All His Majesty’s communication devices have since been inundated with calls and messages. This message is, therefore, being issued to put everyone’s mind at rest that His Majesty was not near danger whatsoever on 28 March 2022.”
The Council called on the public to disregard the report while praying for the repose of the dead as well as the quick recovery of those injured in the attacked train.
