•Abductors demand N100m

•President directs rescue of pupils, arrest of gunmen

The killing of two traditional rulers and the abduction of six primary school pupils in Ekiti have drawn outrage from Nigerians, who are battling to cope with escalating insecurity in the country.

The monarchs were murdered on Monday in the Oke-Ako Community in the Ikole Local Government Area of the state.

On the same day, six pupils, three teachers and the driver of their bus were kidnapped on their way back from school along Eporo-Ekiti road.

It was gathered that a school bus conveying them was waylaid by suspected kidnappers at about 5 pm, who evacuated them into another vehicle and whisked them away.

Last night, the abductors demanded N100 million ransom at N10 million per head.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered security men to secure the release of the pupils and arrest the killers of the monarchs.

Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji; Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele; Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake; Ekiti House of Assembly Speaker Adeoye Aribasoye; Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun and Yoruba Leaders of Thought (YLT) condemned the abduction of the kids and killing of the monarchs.

Tinubu orders immediate rescue of kidnap victims, arrest of gunmen

Tinubu directed the immediate arrest of the killers of the two traditional rulers and the rescue of the pupils, their teachers and the driver.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the President described the killings and abduction as “mindless and brutal”.

Condoling the families of the monarchs and Governor Oyebanji, Tinubu assured that the nation’s security architecture was receiving the required attention.

The statement by Ngelale reads: “It is with grief that President Bola Tinubu received the news of the killing of two traditional rulers in Ekiti State, the Onimojo of Imojo-Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsola.

“President Tinubu condemns this mindless and brutal bloodletting and pledges that the perpetrators will not escape justice.

“The President condoles with the families and subjects of the traditional rulers, Governor Oyebanji, and the people of Ekiti State on this deeply agonising development.

“In the same vein, the President directs the immediate rescue of pupils and teachers kidnapped around the Eporo-Ekiti area of the state.”

The state Police command said it had arrested five suspected kidnappers in the Iju/Ikere boundary.

It gave the names of the suspects as Usman Jelili, Mohammed Bande, Abubakar Aliu, Suleiman Abdulah and Isah Abdullahi.

Spokesman for the command, Sunday Abutu, said in a statement that the arrest was made by a combined team of Police, Army, Amotekun, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and hunters.

He explained that during interrogation, “the suspects claimed to be herdsmen but it was later discovered that none of them has a cow and no cattle was found in the forest where they were arrested.”

Two motorcycles, a cutlass, a dagger and four telephone handsets were recovered from them.

The suspects were not linked to the latest incidents.

Oyebanji: do not despair

Governor Oyebanji urged residents of the state not to despair as efforts were in top gear to rescue the victims unhurt.

The governor, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, described the incident as callous and unacceptable.

Oyebanji said that security was being stepped up across the state to flush out criminals.

Bamidele, Alake, Ekiti Speaker, Olubadan task security agencies

Senate Leader Bamidele, Solid Minerals Development Minister Dele Alake and Ekiti State Assembly Speaker Aribasoye urged security agencies to fish out the killers of the traditional rulers and rescue all the abducted persons.

Bamidele condoled with the people of the affected communities and the entire state over the killings.

He said: “I promise to work with Governor Oyebanji to come up with legislative measures that will enhance effective policing of all communities in the state and beyond.

“The killing of traditional rulers is a sacrilege. We will not fold our hands and allow criminal elements to desecrate our traditional institutions; destroy lives and property in the state and push the state in palpable fear.”

Alake said: “The tragic incidents in Ekiti State, again, speak to the challenges of insecurity in our country, which the President Tinubu-led administration is working very hard to surmount.

“On behalf of my family, I send our condolences to Governor Oyebanji; the government and people of Ekiti State, especially the families and subjects of our departed kings.

“I urge the security agencies to fish out the assailants and ensure they face the full wrath of the law until justice is served.

“In the same vein, I call on the Police high command and the State Security Service to rescue the primary school pupils from Emure-Ekiti who were kidnapped on their way from school at Eporo-Ekiti.

“There is no doubt that this is a very distressing moment for the people of Ekiti State and Nigerians in general, but the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu will continue to work very hard to improve the security situation in our country.”

Speaker Aribasoye said it was saddening that “some agents of darkness” have resolved to create undue fear and tension in the state.

“This twin ugly incident is a siege. This looks to me like a plot to unsettle this peaceful state. This will not stand, God will intervene and the law will prevail,” he said.

The speaker announced that an emergency plenary of the Assembly would be held today to address the developments.

Oba Balogun, who also asked security agencies to do more, said the killing of the Ekiti monarchs was disturbing.

He, however, praised the security agencies for the reported feats they recorded in the last two weeks

Also yesterday, YLT described as unacceptable the Monday incidents and challenged security agencies to step up their game.

Ekiti govt, Southwest PDP clash

The Southwest chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the state government clashed over the murder of traditional rulers.

While the PDP blamed insecurity in the state on Oyebanji, the state government accused the opposition party of lacking empathy.

The PDP, in a statement by its Zonal Publicity Secretary, Sanya Atofarati, said Oyebanji has failed in administering the state, especially in the area of insecurity.

The party added that it was disappointing that life had lost its value under the APC-led government.

“Nigeria has now become a terrible nightmare,” the PDP lamented and called on the governor to resign if he could not secure the lives and property of the people.

But, the state Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, described the PDP as a disillusioned party seeking recognition.

Olatunbosun cautioned the opposition party against playing politics with the crucial issue of security of lives and property.

He also admonished the party “to be serious and patriotic for once.”

The commissioner said the governor would not resign because he has the mandate of the Ekiti people to preside over their affairs.

Southwest Speakers back demand

The Southwest Conference of Speakers called for multi-level policing.

They spoke after visiting Makinde to commiserate with him on the January 16 explosion in the Bodija area of Ibadan.

Ekiti Speaker, Mr Olubunmi Adelugba, said the visit was part of their consultations with Southwest governors on security, regional integration and development.

He said: “It is time to have state police by moving policing from exclusive list to concurrent list, where every state can take control of security situation in their respective states.”

“It is also important for us in the Southwest to have harmonised legislation, particularly in the area that we have common challenges and common issues.” (The Nation)

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