Suspected Kidnappers Kill Two Ekiti Monarchs

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – Suspected kidnappers, who abducted two traditional rulers along Oke-ako road in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State have reportedly killed them while one of the monarchs was lucky to escape from the scene unhurt.

Emerging reports indicate that while the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsakin, and the Onimojo of Imojo-Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olushola, were ambushed and killed by the gunmen on Monday, the Alara of Ara-Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, was the lucky one to have escaped from their abductors.

According to competent sources, the monarchs were returning from a security meeting in Irele-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area of the state in a vehicle being driven by the Alara when they were attacked along the road.

While the spokesman of the Ekiti State Police Command, DSP Sunday Abutu, did not immediately confirm details of the incident, the Chairman of Ajoni Local Council Development Area, Prince Micheal Ogungbemi, stated that the gunmen attempted to kidnap all three traditional rulers but one was lucky to narrowly escape from the crime scene.

Prince Ogungbemi, who lamented the killings, said local security outfits, including the Amotekun corps, were mobilised to comb the forest in a bid to arrest the perpetrators, adding; “I just returned from the scene of the unfortunate incident along Oke-Ako road and I can confirm that two traditional rulers; the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti and Onimojo of Imojo-Ekiti were killed by the gunmen who ambushed them.

“The Alara of Ara-Ekiti managed to escape from the incident when the incident happened. We have evacuated the remains of the monarchs and deposited them in the morgue at the Ikole General Hospital.

“Our local security outfit and Amotekun have been drafted to the scene and the bush to arrest the bandits who committed this dastardly act.”

Begging the Federal Government to approve the usage of arms by the local security outfits in the state, the Council Chairman said the attacks have been on in the last few years without much being done to check the unfortunate situation and bring the criminals to book.

He said; “I am extremely sad with the situation and I want to call on the government to allow our local security network to carry arms because the traditional ruler who escaped told us the gunmen were carrying AK-47s and other dangerous weapons. These people are killing us and it is becoming unbearable.”

Also condemning the killings of the royal fathers, the Secretary of Majority Obas of Ekiti Land (MOBEL) and Onikun of Ikun-Ekiti, Oba Olatunde David Olushola, said the time had come for the government to localize the security system to address the growing insecurity in the land.

He described the two traditional rulers as active members of MOBEL, maintaining that it is very sad because “we have been talking over the years but the government is paying lip service to the issue of security. The time has come for them to localize the issue of security and sit down with the traditional rulers to secure our communities, we know what to do.

“This is not an issue about money, the government should immediately sit down with the traditional rulers for us to secure our land and maintain peace.”