Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers yesterday killed two monarchs while another was lucky to escaped the tragedy in Ekiti State.
The monarchs were said to be traveling along the Oke-Ako Road, in Ikole Local Government Area of the
state, when the incident happened.
It was gathered that the two monarchs, 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, while the Alara of Ara-Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba narrowly escaped from the scene of the attack.
According to 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.
Chairman of Ajoni Local Council Development Area, Prince Micheal Ogungbemi, who confirmed the incident via phone call said the gunmen attempted to kidnap the three traditional rulers.
Ogungbemi, who lamented the killing of the revered traditional rulers , said he had mobilized local security outfits including the Amotekun Corps to comb the forest in a bid to arrest the perpetrators.
“ 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 the dastardly act.”
Describing the incident as unfortunate, the Council boss appealed to the Federal Government to allow local security outfits in the state to bear arms, adding that the attacks have been recurring in the area in the last few years.
“ 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.”
On his part, 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 has come for the government to localize 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 the government is paying lips 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.
Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO)DSP Sunday Abutu , promised to comment on the issue, but never did as at press time, “I will get the details and get back, please.”
