By Damilare Adeleye
Unknown gunmen have reportedly assassinated two traditional rulers in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
The traditional rulers were Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, Elesun of Esun and Oba Samuel Olatunji, Olumojo of Imojo.
According to reports, the monarchs were ambushed and killed by the arm-wielding attackers along Ipao-Irele-Oke Ako while returning from Ogbe, a neighboring town in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi state.
It was reliably learnt that the vehicle conveying three monarchs was accosted and Oba Ogunsakin alongside with Oba Olatunji were killed, while Oba Adebayo Fatoba, Alara of Ara-Ekiti, escaped from the scene.
Sources said the monarchs were returning from Ogbe in Kogi state in a vehicle drove by the Alara when the armed men struck.
Micheal Ogungbemi, chairman of the Ajoni Local Council Development Area, confirmed the incident, saying that the gunmen attempted to kidnap the three traditional rulers.
Ogungbemi, who lamented the killing of the revered traditional rulers , said he had mobilised local security outfits including the Amotekun corps to comb the forest in a bid to arrest the perpetrators.
According to him: “I just returned from the scene of the unfortunate incident along Oke-Ako road and I can confirm that two traditional rulers; the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti and Onimojo of Imojo-Ekiti were killed by the gunmen who ambushed them.
“The Alara of Ara-Ekiti managed to escape from the incident, he was the one driving when the incident happened.
“ We have evacuated the remains of the monarchs and deposited them in the morgue at the Ikole General Hospital.
“ Our local security outfit and Amotekun have been drafted to the scene and the bush to arrest the bandits who committed this dastardly act.”
Ogungbemi, who appealed to the Federal Government to approve usage of arms by the local security outfits in the State, said the attacks have been recurring in the area in the last few years.
“ I am extremely sad with the situation and I want to call on the government to allow our local security network to carry arms because the traditional ruler who escaped told us the gunmen were carrying AK-47 and other dangerous weapons. These people are killing us and it is becoming unbearable.”