Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers killed two monarchs of Ekiti State on Ipao-Oke Ako Highway on Monday.
This was as civil society teams, below the auspices of the Civil Society Joint Motion Group, stated 17,469 Nigerians have been kidnapped between 2019 and now below the Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu administrations.
The gunmen killed Onimojo of Imojo, Oba Olatunde Olusola and Elesun of Esun Ekiti in Ikole Native Authorities Space, whereas Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, who was killed in Ikole Native Authorities Space Space, escaped.
Sources stated the standard rulers had been getting back from a gathering in Kogi State when their autos encountered the suspected kidnappers who laid an ambush on the highway.
In accordance with sources, because the bandits chased the Alara in an try and kidnap him, the 2 different monarchs additionally tried to flee however had been shot by the gunmen.
A supply defined: “I referred to as my father to tell him that I might come to the village tomorrow (Tuesday) however he stated I shouldn’t come as a result of our monarch was killed by some unknown gunmen.
“He instructed me that the Alara of Ara-Ekiti, the Olumojo of Imojo-Ekiti and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti had been popping out of a perform when their automobile was accosted by the gunmen who shot at them.
“He instructed me that Elesun and Olumojo had been hit by the bullets fired by the gunmen and died immediately whereas Alara escaped.”
The Chairman of Ajoni Native Council Improvement Space, Micheal Ogungbemi, in whose area the incident occurred, stated the lifeless our bodies of the 2 obas had been recovered from the scene and brought to a mortuary.
The council boss defined that info indicated that the standard rulers, who had been from Kogi State, had been attacked in Oke Ako space.
LG chairman speaks
Ogungbemi stated: “I mobilized the Divisional Police Officer, Speedy Reply Squad and Amotekun Corps to the scene. We took the corpses of the kabiyesis to the hospital. The perpetrators are bandits as a result of Kabiyesi Alara noticed them.
“The lifeless had been Kabiyesi Elesun and Kabiyesi Onimojo. They had been shot and killed immediately. Kabiyesi Alara escaped.
“They traveled in a automobile; Kabiyesi Alara was driving the automobile. Once they encountered them, they chased Kabiyesi Alara into the forest. Kabiyesi Elesun and Kabiyesi Onimojo tried to flee when the bandits who got here from behind shot at them.
“The monarchs had handed the native safety checkpoint when the incident occurred. After their escape, the Alara knowledgeable native safety in regards to the growth. The bandits had been carrying refined weapons.”
The Onikun of Ikun Ekiti and Majority Minister Obas of Ekiti Land, Oba Olatunde David Olusola, who described the incident as unlucky, stated the 2 late monarchs had been lively members of the affiliation.
Oba Olusola stated: “There’s a want for a authorities to face up, we now have paid lip service to the difficulty of safety. We have to localize the safety system and contain conventional rulers. The federal government should instantly sit down with conventional rulers to plan methods to safeguard our communities. We all know what we now have to do.”
When contacted in regards to the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Command, Sunday Abutu, stated it was a case of suspected homicide.
“It is a suspected case of homicide, however particulars will probably be communicated as quickly as they change into obtainable. The mandatory motion is underway now that the tactical and intelligence groups have been deployed on that axis,” he said.
At a press convention in Abuja on Monday, the Civil Society Joint Motion Group revealed that 2,423 individuals had been killed whereas 1,872 others had been kidnapped for the reason that inauguration of President Tinubu.
Talking on behalf of the group, the Government Director of the Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, stated insecurity has continued over the previous three administrations, with 24,816 Nigerians killed and 15,597 individuals kidnapped over the last administration of President Buhari, between 2019 and 2023 .
Of the whole variety of 17,469 kidnapped from 2019 to this point, 90 p.c of the circumstances had been recorded below Buhari whereas 10 p.c had been recorded below Tinubu.
In the meantime, the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has condemned the dastardly assault on the monarch which led to the ugly killing of the 2 conventional rulers and ordered safety businesses within the state to fish out the killers.
Oyebanji, in an announcement signed by his Particular Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, stated safety operatives had been deployed to the realm to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime.
The governor, who chaired the state safety council assembly in Ado Ekiti barely an hour earlier than the incident occurred, stated “no stone will probably be left unturned within the effort to deliver the perpetrators to justice.”
He prolonged the condolences of the federal government and folks of Ekiti State to the individuals of Imojo Ekiti and Esun Ekiti over the unhappy incident.
The governor additionally urged residents of the 2 cities to stay calm and never take the legislation into their very own palms. He stated: “The federal government would make sure that justice is served.
Oyebanji charged safety businesses within the state to “stay vigilant and resolute in efforts to eradicate crime and criminality from the state.”
Reiterating his administration's dedication to the protection of lives and property of residents within the state, the governor stated his administration would proceed to deploy know-how for crime detection and prevention, and supply vital help to safety businesses within the state.
See Adams
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba, Gami Adams, in an interview with The PUNCH, additionally condemned the assaults and described the insecurity state of affairs within the nation as unlucky.
In accordance with him, South-West Governors have did not work with native safety businesses to deal with insecurity within the South-West area.
He stated: “It is vitally unlucky that the safety state of affairs within the nation has reached this stage. Nigeria is in an absolute state of insecurity. The federal government is aware of what to do to unravel this. I introduced collectively greater than 13 completely different safety organizations, however the authorities refused to work with us to flush out the felony components within the South West.
“As a substitute of politicians working with the shopper, they work with the organizations individually, which is not going to work. If the governors are keen to work with us inside six months, insecurity in Yoruba land will drastically scale back. There are lots of methods to scale back uncertainty. Now we have confronted plenty of disgrace on this nation.
“Now we have confronted insecurity in different areas of the nation, however not within the South West, which is the financial nerve middle of this nation. In the event that they contact me as a result of I’m not positive if I can attain the safety providers immediately with out the instruction of the governors to name on them to cooperate with me as a result of I’ve written them letters for partnership however they refuse. The excuse they provide you is that they need to get a safety clearance from the IG (Inspector Normal of Police), whereas the DSS (Division of State Companies) will say the identical factor. However I'm so useful with the governor.
“Proper now, we’re in Osun with about 150 delegates from the diaspora, however as I speak to you, it’s only the OPC that’s arranging safety for them. Not a single police officer offering cowl for the final 5 days we now have been in Osogbo.
On his half, the Osun State Commander of the Amotekun Corps, Bashir Adewinbi (retd.) referred to as on South West governors to strengthen the Amotekun Corps to forestall the abductors from having a foul day.
He additionally referred to as for stricter punishments for arrested kidnappers.
Adewinbi stated: “We should be very powerful on apprehended kidnappers. The absence of stricter punishments has emboldened them and since it’s now a enterprise, they’re growing in quantity.
The epidemic is growing within the Southwest as a result of spillover of insecurity skilled within the northern elements of the nation. I’ll advise the governors of the area to take a position extra in neighborhood policing and recruit extra personnel for the Amotekun Corps. “
The top of Transparency Worldwide Nigeria, Awaul Rafesajani, stated: “The federal government ought to declare a state of emergency over the insecurity. The earlier this occurs, the higher. They might really feel protected, however criminals are emboldened by the crime they commit and get away with it.”
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, expressed anger over the assault and referred to as on the President to be extra proactive in tackling insecurity within the nation.
The organizing secretary of the group, Chief Kole Omololu, in an interview with The PUNCH, condemned the assault on the royal fathers. He stated it’s vital for the safety businesses to do their obligation to guard the lives and properties of the individuals of the nation.
He stated: “It’s with heavy hearts and deep concern that we be taught of the ugly kidnapping of 4 royal fathers in Ekiti State. We observe that two of them had been killed, one escaped and one was within the custody of the terrorists. That is too worrying to bear.
“We name on the President to demand undivided consideration from the safety forces. They should be resolute and resolute in curbing this menace. The audacity of those enemies of the nation turns into an unimaginable actuality and strikes worry within the hearts of our individuals.
“The key police of our nation, the place are you, how can evil roam majestically in our roads and setting unnoticed, why? The DSS has inquiries to reply.”
Afeniferous vapours
The Afenifere chief reiterated the decision for state creation and correct arming of the South West Nigeria Safety Community Company, often known as Amotekun, with ammunition, saying this may go a good distance in tackling the menace.
“It’s now time for our state governments within the South West to ship the OPC boys to our bushes in collaboration with Amotekun. We predicted that the terrorists would withdraw about six months after the swearing in of President Bola Tinubu solely to launch again now.
The President must not ever enable evil to intimidate or defeat us,” Omololu warned.
In the meantime, netizens have taken to social media to precise their outrage over the killing of two Obas in Oke-Ako/Ipao space of Ekiti.
Whereas mourning the monarchs, Fb and X customers additionally expressed their dismay over the deteriorating safety state of affairs within the nation.
A Fb consumer, Adedibu Ekiti, wrote: “That is usually dangerous information. Elesun of Esun Ekiti and two different Obas in Ikole Native Authorities Space have been attacked by kidnappers alongside Ipao-Oke Ako Highway.
“Relaxation in peace Your Majesty, the Elesun of Esun Ekiti,” Prince Olokesusi Julius AdeKunle additionally wrote on Fb.
Àlàbí Michael wrote in pidgin English: “This all occurred inside 24 hours. On Sunday Igboho doesn't speak earlier than however we are saying Igboho is a terrorist. Now that doesn't occur.'
Nelson Babatunde Olasehinde stated: “Too unhappy,” whereas Babayemi Segunbabs wrote: “That is very unhappy information oh OLODUMARE!”
Mike Bobade expressed his shock, writing: “Actually?”
“You can’t defend the APC and never sound silly,” Idoma Elejo stated on Fb.
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