The Nigerian army has whisked away the traditional ruler of Ewu Kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Clement Ikolo.
Mr Ikolo was declared wanted alongside seven others over the ambush and murder of 17 army personnel in the state on 14 March by armed men suspected to be residents of Okuama Community.
Those ambushed and murdered included the Commanding Officer of 181 Army Amphibious Battalion, two majors, one captain and 13 soldiers.
The troops were ambushed and killed while responding to a distress call arising from a clash between Okuama and Okoloba communities in the South-southern state.
In response, the Defence Headquarters, on Thursday, declared eight suspects wanted, including Mr Ikolo, over the murder of the army personnel.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Ikolo surrendered himself to the police in the state on Thursday.
Whisked away
The Nigerian army flew Mr Ikolo to their headquarters in Abuja on Friday, according to a report by Vanguard newspaper.
The police in Delta State handed over the monarch to army personnel on Friday morning, the paper reported.
The police spokesperson in Delta State, Bright Edafe, did not respond to several calls and a text message from PREMIUM TIMES seeking his comment.
Meanwhile, some top officials of the Nigerian army and those of the police in the state were said to have accompanied Mr Ikolo to Asaba International Airport, from where they departed to Abuja.
The monarch, it was learnt, was flown in an Air Peace aircraft, which departed at about 9 a.m. on Friday to the country’s capital.