As the people and government of Ekiti State celebrate the release of the abducted students and staff of the Apostolic Faith Secondary School in the Erelu area of the state, the Nigerian Army has provided sensitive descriptions of the armed criminals that attacked and killed two traditional rulers in the state last Monday.
According to reports, the slain monarchs, HRM Oba David Ogunsukin, the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, and HRM Oba Olatunde Olusola, the Onimojo of Omojola-Ekiti, were attacked and killed last week while returning from a security meeting at Erelu-Ekiti alongside Oba Adebayo Fatoba, who narrowly escaped being killed.
But in a statement issued on Sunday via the Nigerian Army official X handle, the Ag. Deputy Director of Public Relations of the 2 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Polycarp Okoye, said investigation revealed that the killers of the traditional rulers numbered about six and were armed with 1 AK-47 rifle, 1 pump action gun, a single barrel gun, matches, and sticks.
According to Okoye, the mindless killing of the monarchs and the urgent need to arrest the perpetrators compelled the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Bamidele Alabi, to pay an operational visit to the 32 Artillery Brigade Operational Base at Emure, where the attack took place.
Okoye said while “briefing the GOC during his visit on Friday, the Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade, Brigadier General JR Lar, said that troops of 32 Brigade, in conjunction with the Police, Department of State Services (DSS), and other paramilitary agencies, including the local vigilante team, have been raiding the bushes, conducting search and rescue operations, conducting clearance operations, and intensifying efforts to trail the kidnappers.
“He assured the GOC that efforts are in place to ensure that all persons connected to the killings and kidnapping incidents are arrested and handed over to appropriate authorities.”
He further disclosed that the State Assembly and Council of Obas recently made resolutions prohibiting individuals or groups from residing in the bushes,” adding that “this informed the current collaboration of the Police, NA, and other security agencies to clear the bushes of all illegal occupants and criminal elements.”
According to Okoye, “General Lar said that the operation will continue and all efforts to achieve good results will be sustained.
“The GOC applauded the efforts of the Brigade Commander and his team while urging them to intensify efforts towards capturing the criminal elements and restoring normalcy in the area,” he added.
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