Suspected arsonists have set fire to the palace and properties of a self-proclaimed monarch, HRH Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda-Shelika, Nyamkpa IV, in Kogi State.
Newslodge gathered that the monarch's vehicle and other properties inside the palace were burnt in the incident that occurred in the early hours of Saturday.
Eyewitnesses narrated that the monarch narrowly escaped death.
Newslodge earlier reported that the Chairman of Lokoja Local Government Area, Comrade Abdullahi Adamu, had issued a statement prohibiting Dauda-Shelika from impersonating the Etsu Nupe of Lokoja.
He was also prevented from going ahead with the planned coronation/celebration of the second edition of the Nupe natives' year-end event, dubbed 'Lokoja '24 Nupe Cultural Fiesta', scheduled for December 21, 2024, before the incident occurred.
Narrating his ordeal to journalists who visited the scene on Monday, the self-proclaimed monarch said: “It was around 1:00 am at night when I heard a loud knock on my door and I woke up to look out the window, wondering what could happen have happened.
“Then, I suddenly saw a forest fire coming out of my car, as the attackers had set it on fire.
“I knew it was an attack on the palace and that's why I couldn't go out for fear of being attacked. So, I went out the back door and scaled the fence to escape for my life.
“Then I went out to the road and realized that all my neighbors in the community were on the ground trying with all their might to put out the fire, but unfortunately the car burned as well as other properties that were inside it.”
He explained that members of the event's planning committee met until around 11:30 p.m. on Friday before leaving for their various homes, lamenting that it was regrettable that the cultural festival was aborted due to the incident.
Dauda-Shelika called on the government and security agencies to investigate the cause of the attack and bring the perpetrators and their sponsors to justice.