Bandits Kill Two Ekiti Traditional Rulers

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti 

Two traditional rulers in Ekiti have been killed by bandits suspected to be armed Fulani herdsmen.

The two Obas are the Onimojo of Imojo Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti in Ajoni, Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

Eyewitnesses told THISDAY that the Alara of Ara in Ikole Local Government escaped when the armed men accosted them and attempted to forcefully take them away.

The incident took place on Monday evening between Oke-Ako and Ipao Ekiti, located in Ajoni Local Government area.

The traditional rulers were coming from a meeting when the incident happened.

“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” one eye witness told THISDAY, adding that the Alara of Ara Ekiti escaped. 

A source said they were coming from a meeting where security issues were discussed

He said the attackers were armed Fulani men who have been operating in that area for the past five years.

“They fired many bullets at the Alara but he was lucky. He escaped from the scene and ran away,” the source said.

Sources told our correspondent that as at press time, Amotekun operatives had been mobilised into the area.

An official of Oodua Liberation Movement, OLM, in Ekiti State said the armed men had for long occupied the forest between Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara and Kogi States, adding that the area is like their “Sphere of Influence”.