Tragedy strucked on Monday in Ekiti State following the death of two prominent traditional ruler in the State who were said to have shut dead by yet to be identified gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
The sad incident which has thrown the entire state into serious mourning occured along Oke-Ako/ Ipao-Ekiti axis in Ajoni Local Council Development Area of the State
The two traditional ruler, Oba Olatunde Olusola, the Onimojo of Imojo in Oye local government and Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, Elesun of Esun-Ekiti in Ikole local government area of the State.
Similarly, another first class monarch in the State, Alara of Ara-Ikole, also sustained serious injury and escaped from the scene of the incident during the attack.
According to an eye witness, the incident which happened at about 6:30pm on Monday when the monarchs were returning to their various communities from the meeting of the traditional rulers held in the area.
The source said the monarch who were going in their private cars were waved down by dare devil gunmen and attempted to forcefully whisk them away.
“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”
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.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ekiti State Command, Mr Sunday Abutu, confirmed the development and though the cause of the incident is still sketchy, but the police would do everything to unravel the circumstances that led to the tragic incident.