Tragedy struck, on Monday, in Ekiti State as two traditional rulers were attacked and killed by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.
LEADERSHIP gathered that three traditional rulers – the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsakin, and Alara of Ara-Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, both of Ikole-Ekiti local government area of the state, and Onimojo of Imojo-Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola, from Oye local government area of the state, were involved in the incident.
Elesun and Onimojo were reportedly shot dead by their assailants while the Alara escaped death by whiskers.
The trio were said to be travelling along the Oke-Ako Road, in Ikole local government area of the state in a car being driven by Alara while returning from a security meeting in Irele-Ekiti when the men of the underworld struck.
The driver of the car, who was lucky to have escaped unhurt from the scene, was said to have run into the bush and later went back to the town to report the incident.
When contacted, the chairman of the Ajoni Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Prince Micheal Ogungbemi, confirmed the incident, saying the traditional leaders were killed as the gunmen made attempt to kidnap them.
The State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Sunday Abutu, when contacted by our correspondent, said: “I will get the details and get back, please.”
Howevee, Ogungbemi, who expressed regret over the killing of the traditional rulers, disclosed that local security operatives and the Amotekun Corps have been mobilized to go after the perpetrators and arrest them.
He said, “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. He was the one driving 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.”
While lamenting incessant kidnapping in the axis, he appealed to the federal government to approve usage of sophisticated arms for local security outfits in the state.
“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-47 and other dangerous weapons. These people are killing us and it is becoming unbearable,” he added.
Also, the secretary of Majority Obas of Ekiti Land (MOBEL) and Onikun of Ikun-Ekiti, Oba Olatunde David Olushola, who condemned the killing of the traditional rulers, said the time had come for the government to localise security system in order to address the growing insecurity in the land.
“The two traditional rulers were active members of our association (MOBEL) and it is very sad.
“We have been talking over the years but government is paying lip service to the issue of security. The time has come for them to localise the issue of security and sit down with the traditional rulers to secure our communities, we know what to do.
“This is not issue about money, government should immediately sit down with the traditional rulers for us to secure our land and maintain peace,” he stated.
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