PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the killing of two traditional rulers and the abduction of school pupils and teachers in Ekiti State.
A statement on Tuesday, January 30, by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said the President condemned the “mindless and brutal bloodletting in the state and pledged that the perpetrators will be brought to book.”
The ICIR reported how gunmen abducted six pupils and three teachers of a private school in Emure, headquarters of Emure Local Government Area of the State on Monday, January 29.
Confirming the abduction on Tuesday, the state government said the school bus driver was also kidnapped, bringing the number of people abducted to 10.
The incident happened the same day armed men shot dead two traditional rulers in the Oke-Ako axis of Ikole Local Government Area of the state.
The rulers were said to have been attacked along Oke Ako – Ipao Ekiti – Aiyedun road while returning home from a meeting.
The two traditional rulers – the Onimojo of Imojo Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsola – were killed in an ambush by armed men while another traditional ruler, the Alara of Ara-Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, escaped the attack.
Meanwhile, Tinubu condoled with the families and subjects of the two traditional rulers, as well as the state Governor Biodun Oyebanji, describing the situation as a “deeply agonizing development.”
The President also directed the immediate rescue of pupils and teachers kidnapped around the Eporo-Ekiti area of the state.
“President Tinubu assures Nigerians that the nation’s security architecture is being robustly fortified for better and expected outcomes,” the statement added.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M