Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Monday evening killed two traditional rulers in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
The traditional rulers were the Elesun of Esun, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin and Olumojo of Imojo, Oba Samuel Olatunji. The third Alara of Ara-Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba managed to escape from the kidnappers.
He was said to be the one driving when the attackers struck along Ipao-Irele-Oke Ako while returning from Ogbe, a neighbouring town in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.
“They were travelling together. The armed herdsmen stopped them and rained bullets on them. They took their personal belongings and dragged their bodies into the bush,” a source said.
Chairman of Ajoni Local Council Development Area, Micheal Ogungbemi confirmed the incident to newsmen. Ogungbemi, who condemned the attack, said the gunmen attempted to kidnap the three monarchs.
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.”