Ekiti- Saturday 10, April 2021: Suspected gunmen ambushed a traditional ruler in Ekiti State, the Elewu of Ewu-Ekiti, Oba Adetutu Ajayi, and rained bullets on his official car.
It was gathered that Oba Ajayi was waylaid on Friday evening while traveling to a neighboring Ayetoro-Ekiti in Ido/Osi local government when the attackers suddenly came out from the bush.
Though the monarch escaped death, he sustained gunshot injuries and now being hospitalized in one of the private hospitals in Ado-Ekiti.
A source, on Saturday in Ado-Ekiti, disclosed that “the bullets hit the monarch on the legs, arms and stomach.”
The Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Abutu, confirmed the attack and regretted that the incident happened in spite of the rigorous joint patrol, raiding of black spots and combing of forests by his men to dislodge criminals.
The Police PRO said the Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Mobayo’s directive that the combined forces of police, Amotekun Corps, Vigilance Groups, Local Hunters, Chiefs, drivers Union, motorcycle riders, farmers and other stakeholders should carry out a joint operation was being diligently observed simultaneously across the 16 local government areas when the gunmen struck.
“The operation was aimed at dislodging and apprehending the miscreants in their hideouts as directed by the Commissioner of Police.
“But some unknown gunmen mischievously defied the operation, came out and attacked the Elewu of Ewu, Oba Adetutu Ajayi while he was on transit between Ewu-Ekiti and Ayetoro-Ekiti at about 1900hrs.”
Abutu added that the CP assured the public that the perpetrators will be brought to book, pledging that the command shall continue to work with relevant security outfits, ministries, stakeholders and organizations to ensure that criminality is wiped out of Ekiti.
He stated that the spirit of officers of the command and other supporting agencies and groups still remain high as the operation still continues indefinitely to stamp out bandits in Ekiti.