• Order security agencies to fish out killers
• President, governor, PDP decry abduction of teachers, students

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has condemned the attack in Oke-Ako area in Ikole Local Council of the state that led to the gruesome killing of two traditional rulers, the Onimojo of Imojo-Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsola.

He, however, ordered security agencies in the state to fish out the killers of the two traditional rulers, who were murdered during an ambush by armed men while returning from a meeting.

The third traditional ruler, the Alara of Ara-Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, escaped the attack.
President Bola Tinubu has condemned the brutal killing of the two traditional rulers, vowing that perpetrators of the dastardly act would not go scot-free.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajurin Ngelale, yesterday, Tinubu, who described the incident as mindless and brutal bloodletting, further assured that the perpetrators would not escape justice.

He has, however, directed the immediate rescue of pupils and teachers kidnapped around the Eporo-Ekiti area of the state.

Oyebanji, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, said security agents had been dispatched to the area to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

The governor, who had just presided over the State Security Council meeting in Ado-Ekiti, barely an hour before the incident occurred, said no stone would be left unturned in the bid to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He expressed condolences to the government and Ekiti indigenes to the people of Imojo-Ekiti and Esun-Ekiti over the sad incident.

The governor also urged the people of the two towns to remain calm and refrain from taking laws into their own hands, saying that the government would ensure that justice is served.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Oladele Alake, said: “I received with deep sadness the report of yesterday’s killing of two traditional rulers in Ekiti State.

“While I strongly condemn this unfortunate incident, I urge the security agencies to fish out the assailants and ensure they face the full wrath of the law until justice is served.

“I call on the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to rescue the primary school pupils from Emure-Ekiti who were kidnapped on their way from school at Eporo-Ekiti.”

Also, former governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, in a statement said: “It is with profound sadness and deep sorrow that I condemn the senseless killings of the two monarchs.

“I call on all security agencies to swiftly and thoroughly investigate the heinous crime and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. ”

Similarly, a civil society group, Congress for Rights of Yoruba Nationalities (CROYN), has expressed deep concern over the sudden upsurge in kidnappings in the Southwest.

It also decried the killing of the two traditional rulers as well as the kidnapping of some students in Ekiti State on Sunday, describing the killing of the kings as sacrilegious and horrible.

The right group, in a statement by its National President, Abiodun Fanoro, said the worrisome dimensionkidnapping was assuming in the region “is a test of the will of leaders in the Southwest.”

The Yoruba Leaders of Thought (YLT) has condemned the murder of two traditional rulers.

The leaders, who also described as unacceptable the abduction of an unspecified number of schoolchildren by kidnappers at Emure, urged the security agents to rescue the abducted children with immediate effect.

In a statement, yesterday, by its National Secretary, Bayo Aina, the group said the killing of the traditional rulers had further revealed that no one is safe in the state.

However, Oyebanji, the Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye and the Ekiti State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have urged the citizens of the state not to despair over Monday’s killing of the two monarchs, as well as the kidnapping of some school pupils and their teachers in Emure-Ekiti.

The Speaker has, therefore, called for an emergency plenary session of the House to hold today to address the current issue and deliberate on modalities to ensure that justice prevails.
Oyebanji also assured Ekiti residents that efforts were on to get the children and their teachers rescued.

The governor, who described the kidnapping of the school pupils as callous and unacceptable, said nothing would be spared in the efforts to rescue them.

Meanwhile, the PDP in the state condemned the killing of the monarchs and kidnapping for ransom of school children at EmureLocal Council and a Bouesti student kidnapped along Ikere-Igbara Odo Road.

In a statement signed by its Public Secretary, Raphael Adeyanju, the party noted that the killing of these two obas was quite unfortunate and condemnable.