Fear grips obas as kidnappers invade palace

The abduction of a traditional ruler in Ekiti State on Thursday evening has thrown other obas into panic mode given the manner the latest abduction was carried out by the kidnappers.

On Thursday evening, bandits invaded the palace of Obadu of Ilemeso-Ekiti, Oba David Oyewumi and abducted the traditional ruler. Ilemeso-Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State , is a neighbouring town to Isan Ekiti country home of Governor Kayode Fayemi.

During the Thursday evening attack, the gunmen said to be numbering six, scaled the fence to gain access into  the palace and shot sporadically to scare the occupants. A palace source added that the incident happened around 8.30 pm, when the chiefs who had earlier visited the place had dispersed.

The source said: “In the process of shooting, they gained entrance into the bungalow where the traditional ruler and members of his family were and started beating them.

“They were asking after the monarch which showed that they really came for him and not any other person. Immediately they sighted him, they dragged him and took him out of the palace to an unknown destination.”

Being the custodian of traditional and cultural heritage of the people in any society, traditional rulers and their stools are seen as revered and accorded much respect in the society but events in recent times have suggested that this age-long belief is becoming a thing of the past, especially in Ekiti State. These monarchs have been victims of attacks from gunmen who had been wreaking havoc in the state lately.

While many people including farmers, travellers, civil servants businessmen and women among others have been killed and kidnapped, traditional rulers are now subjects of attacks which many described as sacrilegious and a pointer to the complete breakdown of security arrangement in the state.

When a first class traditional ruler in Ondo State, the Olufon of Ifon, Ose Local Government Area of the state, Oba Israel Adeusi was ambushed and shot dead on November 26, 2020, little did many know that was the beginning of onslaught on royal fathers by gunmen. The traditional ruler, who was returning to Ifon from Akure after a meeting, ran into the barricade of the gunmen along Alagbaka area.

In the last twelve months, Ekiti State has had its share of the insecurity bedevilling the nation with waves of criminalities such as killings, kidnappings, armed robberies and other heinous crimes across the length and breadth of the state. While government and the security agencies are rolling out measures to ensure the security of lives and properties of the residents, these killers and attackers are appearing emboldened as the days go by.

The height of these crimes, is the recent and coordinated attacks on traditional rulers in the state. Between April 9 and 16, 2021, two different Obas were attacked in Ekiti State by unknown gunmen.

The Elewu of Ewu-Ekiti in Ilejemeje council area , Oba Adetutu Ajayi narrowly escaped death last week Friday as gunmen who emerged from the bush rained bullets on his car. Though, the monarch escaped death and being abducted, he sustained severe gunshot injuries and is now being hospitalised in one of the medical facilities in the state. It was gathered that the bandits wanted to kidnap the monarch.

The monarch was travelling alone in his official car to neighbouring Ayetoro Ekiti, in Ido/Osi Local Government when the gunmen struck.

According to a  source, “The monarch was travelling in his car to Ayetoro-Ekiti when the bandits waylaid him and in an attempt to escape, they pursued him and rained bullets on his car. They planned to kidnap him but when he wanted to manouvre his way from the ambush, they started shooting but he managed to escape with gunshots wounds.”

 

Attacks on monarchs troubling, we want deployment of troops in Ekiti —Alawe

The Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti and chairman of the Ekiti State Council of traditional rulers, Oba Ajibade Alabi has described as troubling the recent onslaught by gunmen on traditional rulers in the state.

The monarch in a statement by his media aide, Olubunmi Ajibade called on security agents including Amotekun corps to ensure the timely rescue of Obadu and maximum security across the nooks and crannies of the state.

He maintained that military personnel must be drafted to the state to support other security agents in driving out bandits and other criminal elements from the state.

According to the statement: “The Alawe who described the situation as embarrassing, worrisome  and troubling, asked the police to spread its dragnets all over the state as well as increase patrols both day and night  to stop the kidnappers from having free movement in Ekiti.”

Oba Alabi advised the state governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi to, as a matter of urgency recruit more personnel into Amotekun and ,”in addition to equipping the outfit with requisite equipment in order to monitor all routes and forests in Ekiti.

“The chairman of the Ekiti traditional rulers further suggested that the Army should be brought in at this stage to support other security outfits in flushing out all kidnappers from Ekiti forests and their  hideouts.”

He called on residents of the state to support the security agents with timely and accurate information on the movements and activities of criminal elements in their communities.

 

It’s fallout of Nigeria’s security woes  —Onimesi

The Onimesi of Imesi-Ekiti in Gbonyin Local Government Area of the state, Oba Festus Olatunji Olatunde in his reaction said the recent attacks on traditional rulers in the state is a pointer to the wobbling security situation in the country.

Oba Olatunde in a chat with Saturday Tribune urged government at all levels to provide adequate security personnel around monarchs, saying they represent a very critical aspect in the society.

He said: “ I think it is a fallout of the crisis in the nation. It is not that the Obas have specific grouse with the bandits but you know when we are in the hands of gunmen, they speculate where they can get money, that if they abduct an Oba, the community will raise money to secure him, that is the way I see it.”

Asked the way out from the prevailing situation, Oba Olatunde added that, “ If the government can move a bit further by providing security for the traditional rulers, I think we are reaching that stage now. If they should travel, they should be with security men. If they have to travel, Obas should keep down the paraphernalia of office and when they get to their destination, they can put back those regalia. Also, their should be palace staff that will be supporting the Obas. It is not out of place to do this. It is a very serious issue at the moment. These gunmen see monarchs as cash cow, that is the way I see it.”

 

It’s regrettable, we ‘II arrest  perpetrators —Police

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ekiti Command, ASP Sunday Abutu regretted the spate of attacks on traditional institutions in spite of the rigorous joint patrol, raiding of blackspots and combing of forests by his men to dislodge criminals.

Abutu said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Tunde Mobayo’s directive that  the combined forces of  police, Amotekun Corps, Vigilance Groups, Local Hunters, Chiefs, drivers Union, motorcycle riders, farmers and other stakeholders should carry out a joint operation was being diligently observed simultaneously across the 16 local government areas when the gunmen struck.

“The operation was aimed at dislodging and apprehending the miscreants in their hideouts as directed by the  Commissioner of Police,” he said.

Abutu added that the CP assured  the public that the perpetrators of the dastardly act will be brought to book, pledging  that the command shall continue to work with relevant security outfits, ministries, stakeholders and organizations to ensure that criminality is wiped out in Ekiti.

The Police spokesman stated that  the spirit of officers of the command and other supporting agencies and groups  still remain high as the operation still continues indefinitely to stamp out bandits in Ekiti.

 

We have deployed security forces in forests —Ekiti govt

The Special Adviser to Ekiti State Governor on Security Matters, Brigadier General Ebenezer Ogundana (retd) has described the attacks on the royal fathers as sad, saying government would do everything possible to secure the safe return of Oba Oyewumi.

Ogundana revealed that security agents including military personnel have been deployed across forests in the state to ensure the release of the royal fathers and arrest the perpetrators.

“We sympathised with the traditional rulers over these attacks.

Before now,we have put in place necessary measures. We are working now to secure the release of the Royal father alive and arrest the criminals and that is why we have deployed all the forces we have in Ekiti. The Army, police, Amotekun, hunters are all in the bush now as I speak with you for rescue operation and also make landmark arrest of the criminals,” he said.

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