In Ekamarun, Ajoni Local Government Area of Ekiti State, a deep silence now hangs over one family caught in a nightmare that refuses to end after kidnappers demanded ₦1.5 million, Indian hemp, cocaine, a synthetic drug known as ICE and cartons of canned beer — not for a life to be spared, but for the release of a corpse in their captivity.

The body was that of a middle-aged woman allegedly raped to death by armed men who have laid siege to six communities in Ajoni Local Government Area, where her dignity became a bargaining chip even in death.

According to community leaders, the attackers insisted on the bizarre ransom before allowing her remains to be retrieved for burial. The villagers, who say they do not trade in hard drugs, pooled together cash instead to secure the release of her body.

But the horror did not end there. Shortly after releasing the corpse, the gunmen reportedly abducted four men and demanded two virgins as ransom for their freedom — a demand that sent fresh waves of panic across the already traumatised communities.

The six towns — Itapaji, Iyemero, Oke-Ako, Irele, Ijowa and Ipao — say they are living under what amounts to a sustained terrorist siege.

In a desperate letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ekiti State Governor Abiodun Oyebanji, leaders of the affected communities warned that another genocide is looming unless urgent security intervention comes from both federal and state authorities.

The signatories to the letter include Abimbola Omotoyinbo and Olubola Adeoye (Itapaji); Tosin Babalola and Chief Kehinde Abejide (Irele); Femi Bodunde (Oke-Ako); Joseph Osanipin (Iyemero) and Bayo Dada (Ipao).

For years, armed groups believed to have established camps in the vast forests stretching across Ekiti, Kwara State and Kogi State have launched repeated attacks on their towns.

In recent months, the assaults intensified, forcing many to flee; those who remain say they do so not out of bravery, but because they have nowhere else to go.

About 40 people are currently said to be held captive by the gunmen, many abducted from neighbouring Ondo State, Edo State, Kogi, Ekiti and Kwara states. The attackers allegedly move freely across state lines, exploiting the thick forests that have become safe havens, while community members claim the gunmen have openly declared their intention to invade homes, kill residents in large numbers and seize ancestral lands.

The slain woman’s son was earlier shot during the attack. He survived with gunshot wounds and is currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Ikole-Ekiti.

For his family, survival has brought little comfort but must now grapple with the brutality inflicted on their mother and the humiliation of negotiating for her body.

A traditional war chief, Kehinde Akogun, said the communities had no choice but to comply financially to retrieve the woman’s corpse.

“We wake up every day and every night not knowing when they will strike. We are shedding tears of blood.

“We do not deal in hard drugs. We had to raise cash. We have been blocked from accessing water and food. We cannot travel freely for medical care. We are choked and can no longer breathe,” the protest letter read.

The six communities, with an estimated combined population of about 30,000, insist that they have exercised restraint despite provocation.

“We are children of warriors. Our great-grandparents were warriors. But we are also civilised people who believe in the rule of law, not the rule of the jungle.”

The communities criticised the silence of political representatives, alleging that neither the senator representing the district nor the House of Representatives member has visited or publicly addressed their plight.

While acknowledging past and ongoing efforts by the state government and the local government chairman, they called for more decisive security measures, including empowering state-backed security outfits to confront heavily armed attackers.

“In a true federation, state governments should be empowered to have state and local government police.

“Another mass killing is waiting to happen. It could be tonight. Children, women, the aged and physically challenged people are at the mercy of heavily armed terrorists.

“We do not want relief materials after we have been killed in large numbers. We do not want condolence statements from politicians after we have been buried. This is the time to act. A minute of delay is dangerous.”

(Vanguard)

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