School Children Kidnap In Ekiti: Gov Vows To Rescue Pupils, As Alake Reacts

 

Some school children have been kidnapped in Ekiti by unknown gunmen. The gunmen reportedly abducted six pupils and three teachers of a private school and their bus driver while they were returning from Eporo-Ekiti on Monday night.

According to a post by Ekititrends on its X account on Tuesday, the incident involved students from Apostolic Faith School, Ekiti.

But hours after the incident, the Ekiti State Government called on residents of the state not to despair as security has been stepped up to rescue them. The state governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, urged the citizens of the state not to despair over Monday’s kidnapping of some school pupils and their teachers in Emure- Ekiti.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the governor assured them that efforts are on to rescue the children and their teachers. Oyebanji also described the kidnap as callous and unacceptable, saying nothing would be spared in the efforts to rescue them.

The Ekiti Government said, “Security agencies in the state are already on the trail of the abductors with a mandate to bring the pupils and their teachers back safely. “Governor Oyebanji said security is being stepped up across the state with a view to flushing out criminal elements from their hideouts.”

“While calling on the citizens to remain calm and vigilant, he urged them to cooperate with security agencies, by making available relevant information to the authorities,” he said.

Oyebanji pledged a swift and comprehensive rescue operation to ensure the safe return of the abducted children. As of the time of filing this report, law enforcement agencies, including the police and relevant security forces, have reportedly been mobilised to address the situation .

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Monday killed two Ekiti State monarchs on the Ipao-Oke Ako Road. The gunmen killed the Onimojo of Imojo in the Oye Local Government Area, Oba Olatunde Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti in the Ikole Local Government Area, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, while the Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba in the Ikole Local Government Area, escaped.

Sources said the traditional rulers were returning from a function in Kogi State when their vehicles ran into the suspected kidnappers, who had laid an ambush on the road. According to sources, while the bandits chased the Alara in a bid to kidnap him, the two other monarchs also attempted to escape but were shot by the gunmen.

The Chairman of the Ajoni Local Council Development Area, Micheal Ogungbemi, in whose domain the incident took place, said that the bodies of the two obas had been recovered from the scene and taken to a mortuary. The council boss explained that information indicated that the traditional rulers, who were coming from Kogi State, were attacked in the Oke Ako area.

Meanwhile, Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake has condemned the killing of two traditional rulers in Ekiti State, the Onimojo of Imojo-Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola and the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsola.

Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen, on Monday, killed the two traditional rulers. The incident was said to have happened between Oke-Ako and Ipao-Ekiti in Ajoni Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement signed by Dele Alake on Tuesday, the minister described the incident as unfortunate, while urging the security operatives to swing into action and bring perpetrators to book.

The statement reads, “I received with deep sadness the report of yesterday’s killing of two traditional rulers in Ekiti State, the Onimojo of Imojo- Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola and the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsola. I urge the security agencies to fish out the assailants and ensure they face the full wrath of the law until justice is served. The tragic incident, again, speaks to the challenges of insecurity in our country, which the President Tinubu-led administration is working very hard to surmount.

“On behalf of my family, I send our condolences to Governor Abiodun Oyebanji; the government and the people of Ekiti State, especially the families and subjects of our departed kings. While I strongly condemn this unfortunate incident, I urge the security agencies to fish out the assailants and ensure they face the full wrath of the law until justice is served.”

In the same vein, Alake called on the Ekiti State Police Command to rescue the pupils and their teachers who were kidnapped on their way from Apostolic Faith School, Ekiti on Monday.

“I call on the police high command and the Department of State Security to rescue the primary school pupils from Emure-Ekiti that were kidnapped on their way from school at Eporo-Ekiti.

“There is no doubt that this is a very distressing moment for the people of Ekiti State and Nigerians in general, but the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu will continue to work very hard to improve the security situation in our country”, Alake said.