- By News Editor
Three traditional rulers in Ekiti State on their return from a security meeting were attacked by gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, on Monday along Ipao – Oke Ako Road.
Sources who told TopNews said two of the traditional rulers – the Onimojo of Imojo in the Oye Local Government Area, HRM Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola and the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of the state, HRM Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, were shot dead.
However, the Alara of Ara-Ekiti, HRM Oba Adebayo Fatoba in Ikole Council Area, was lucky to have escaped.
A source, who said that the traditional rulers’ vehicle ran into the suspected kidnappers, who were laying siege to the road, added, “While the bandits chased the Alara in a bid to capture him perhaps for kidnap, the two other monarchs tried to escape following which they were shot by the gunmen”.
The Chairman, Ajoni Local Council Development Area, in whose domain the incident took place, Prince Micheal Ogungbemi, said that the dead bodies of the two Obas had been recovered from the scene and taken to hospital.
The Council boss, who said that information received showed that the traditional rulers were coming from the Irele-Ekiti area before the incident took place along Ipao – Oke Ako Road.
Ogungbemi said, “I have mobilized the Divisional Police Officer, the Rapid Respond Squad and Amotekun Corps to the place. We have recovered the corpses of the Kabiyesis to hospital. The perpetrators are bandits because Kabiyesi Alara saw them.
“Those killed were Kabiyesi Elesun and Kabiyesi Onimojo. They were shot at and they died instantly, but the Kabiyesi Alara escaped.
They were travelling in a car, Kabiyesi Alara drove the car. When they ran into them, they chased Kabiyesi Alara to the forest. Kabiyesi Elesun and Kabiyesi Onimojo were trying to escape from the scene when the bandits coming from behind shot at them.
“The monarchs had driven pass the checkpoint of the local security outfit when the incident happened. The Alara, upon escape informed the local security of the development. The bandits were carrying sophisticated arms”.
The Onikun of Ikun Ekiti and Secretary of Majority Obas of Ekiti Land, Oba Olatunde David Olusola, who described the incident as unfortunate, said the two deceased monarchs were active members of the association.
Oba Olusola said, “There is need for government to rise, we have been paying lip service to the issue of security. We need to localize the security system and involve traditional rulers. Government must sit down immediately with traditional rulers to fashion out ways to secure our communities. We know what to do”.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Command, DSP Sunday Abutu, when contacted, stated, “I will get the details and get back please”.
