On Monday evening, tragedy struck in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State as gunmen, suspected to be kidnappers, claimed the lives of two esteemed traditional rulers.
The victims were identified as the Elesun of Esun, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, and the Olumojo of Imojo, Oba Samuel Olatunji.
The fatal incident unfolded when the monarchs were reportedly ambushed and attacked by armed assailants along the Ipao-Irele-Oke Ako route. The unfortunate event occurred while the rulers were returning from Ogbe, a neighboring town in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi state. The assailants, armed with firearms, perpetrated this heinous act, leaving a community in mourning for the loss of their revered leaders.
It was reliably gathered that the vehicle conveying three monarchs was accosted and Oba Ogunsakin and Oba Olatunji were killed while the Alara of Ara-Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba escaped from the scene.
Sources said the monarchs were returning from Ogbe in Kogi state in a vehicle drove by the Alara when the armed men struck.
When contacted, the police spokesman in the state, Sunday Abutu said: “I will get the details and get back please.”
The chairman of the Ajoni Local Council Development Area, Micheal Ogungbemi confirmed the incident to our correspondent.
Ogungbemi, who condemned the attack, said the gunmen attempted to kidnap the three traditional rulers.
Ogungbemi, who lamented the killing of the revered traditional rulers, said he had mobilised local security outfits including the Amotekun corps to comb the forest in a bid to arrest the perpetrators.
According to him: “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.”
