TRAGEDY IN YORUBALAND

Newsbreak: Armed Herdsmen kill Two Ekiti Oba, one escapes

By Samuel Ogunsona

Two traditional rulers in Ekiti have been killed by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen.

The two Obas are the Onimojo of Imojo Ekiti His Royal Highness, Oba Olatunde Olusola in Oye Local Government Area and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti His Royal Highness, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin in Ajoni, Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

Eyewitnesses told Irohinoodua that the Alara of Ara in Ikole Local Government escaped when the armed men accosted them and attempted to forcefully take them away.

The incidence took place on Monday evening between Oke-Ako and Ipao Ekiti, located in Ajoni Local Governmenr area.

The traditional rulers were coming from a meeting when the incident happened.

“They were travelling together. The armed herdsmen stopped them and rained bullets on them. They took their personal belongings and dragged their bodies into the bush” one eye witness told Irohinoodua. He said the Alara of Ara Ekiti escaped. A source said they were coming from a meeting where security issues were discussed

He said the attackers were armed Fulani men who have been operating in that area for the past five years.

“They fired many bullets at the Alara but he was lucky. He escaped from the scene and ran away” the source said.

Sources told our correspondent that as at press time, Amotekun operatives have been mobilised into the area.

An official of Oodua Liberation Movement, OLM in Ekiti State said the armed Fulani men have for long occupied the forest between Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara and Kogi State saying that the area is like their “Sphere of Influence”