Olu of Warri Crown stolen, police declare two princes wanted

Two sons of the transited Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli Godfrey Emiko, have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police Force, Zone 5, Benin‎, in connection with the missing Royal Crown of the Itsekiri Kingdom‎.

The two princes, Onyowoli Emiko and Omatsuli Emiko, according to the police, allegedly broke into the private apartment of the Olu of Warri, where they stole the royal crown.

They were declared wanted “by the Nigeria Police Force Interpol Section, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Zone 5 Headquarters, Benin City” with a Warrants of Arrest issued against them by a Federal High Court in Benin City, Edo State.

Information obtained indicated that Prince Oyowoli Emiko is said to be wanted “for the offence of breaking into the secret apartment of the HRM Olu of Warri and stealing the Royal Crown”. He is said to be “a student, Itsekiri by tribe, Aged 30 years, 5.2ft of height”, among other physical identities.

Similarly, his younger brother, 27-year old Oamtsuli Emiko, 5.6ft in height and also a student, is wanted for the same of offence of breaking and stealing.

The Police bulletins detailing their declaration as wanted persons, were issued by the AIG, Zone ‘5’ Benin City on the orders of the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali.

It was learnt that Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 5 Command of the Nigeria Police had on Friday quizzed the suspended traditional Prime Minister of the Warri Kingdom in Delta State, Chief Ayiri Emami, over the alleged invasion of the palace of the Olu of Warri.

Recall that following the demise of the immediate past Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli, in December 2020, the palace was reportedly invaded and the 400-year-old crown and symbol of the Itsekiri monarchy were declared missing.

The transition of the Olu led to a succession tussle in the kingdom, until Prince Tsola Emiko, the son of the transited Olu Atuwatse II, was eventually chosen as the Olu-elect.

Following the disappearance of the Royal Crown, The AIG Zone 5, had in a letter dated Wednesday 21st, April 2021, invited the suspended Ologbosere of Warri, Chief Ayiri Emami, for questioning over the kingship crisis in the Warri kingdom, which had resulted in high tension in the town.

The letter, entitled: “Police Invitation Letter. Re: case of burglary, stealing, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace”, addressed to Emami, also led to the interrogation of another chief, Macgrey Richmond, for over two hours at the AIG zonal headquarters.

But in his reponse, Emami who spoke to journalists shortly after his sessioon with the police, said he told them he knew nothing about the invasion of the palace.

“I was invited based on the incident in Warri and it happens to be the invasion of the Olu’s palace. I told them I knew nothing about that because I was not in town when that incident happened.

“It is about that laid-down procedure, which is one of the reasons I am here and I have told the police. The police have questioned me on that issue, what led to the invasion; I have answered that and other issues I can’t divulge.

“I did not sign any undertaking, all they asked was who invaded the palace and that certain things were missing in the palace, they wanted to know the whereabouts of those things and I told them what I knew”, Emami had told journalists.

(Courtesy, Daily Sun)