Kidnapped Pupils: Abductors Demand N100m Ransom
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has condemned the brutal 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, vowing that the perpetrators would face the law.
The President, who described the incident as mindless and brutal bloodletting, assured that the perpetrators would not escape justice, even as he condoled the families and subjects of the traditional rulers, Governor Abiodun Oyebanji, and the people of the state over the “deeply agonising” act.
Tinubu, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, also directed the immediate rescue of pupils and teachers kidnapped around Eporo-Ekiti area of the state, while assured that the country’s security architecture was being robustly fortified for better and expected outcomes.
Widow of one of the monarchs, Yetunde Ogunsakin, has disclosed that her husband called her before being slain by the gunmen to inform her that he was hungry and that she should prepare something for him ahead of his expected arrival at his palace.
She reportedly said she became worried when she realised her husband did not arrive within the period of an hour, adding: “He called me when he reached Ajowa that he was coming, that he was hungry and I should prepare something for him. Ajowa to this place is not supposed to take more than one hour. Getting to one hour, one hour plus, I was calling his phone, but he did not pick.”
A community leader from Esun Ekiti, Chief Niyi Ojo, added: “I was shocked when I was called around 4:30 to be informed that he has been attacked by assailants and that he was killed in the process with a fellow Kabieyesi, Onimojo of Imojo.”
Meanwhile, kidnappers of five pupils and four staff of Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, Emure Ekiti, have demanded N100m ransom for the release of the victims who were taken away on Monday.
This was confirmed by the Principal of the secondary section of the school, Mrs. Boje Olanireti, in an interview with journalists on Tuesday, saying the incident happened about a five-minute drive from the school.
Olanireti narrated: “Immediately the school closed at 3pm, and by the time we gathered all the children, it was already 3:30pm. It was that time that they moved. So, the incident happened between 3:30pm and 4pm.
“The school is in a suburb of Emure village, so they were going back home in Eporo. The incident occurred just about a five-minute drive from the school to Eporo.
“When the gunmen attacked, the people around heard the gunshots and came to Emure with motorcycles to inform the people in the school about what happened. We immediately reported to the police station at Emure.
“The students were over 25 on the bus when the incident happened. When the gunmen attacked them, they shot the tyre of the vehicle and asked the children to come out of the bus. They asked all of them to lie down. They picked five students and four staff members. They, after that, asked others to go.
“The five students comprise two from the secondary (school) and three from primary school, while the four staff comprise two teachers, one driver and one bus assistant.
“When the parents heard about the incident, they came from Eporo and they have been making frantic efforts by reaching out to some security outfits, including the police and Amotekun.
“The security operatives have also been talking to the proprietor of the primary school and he has been giving them information.
“By the time they opened communication, they first called the husband of one of the teachers and demanded N10million for each kidnapped victim. But when they later called the headmaster, they demanded N100million for all of them.”
