The Governor of Ekiti State, Abiodun Oyebanji, and the bus carrying kidnapped school children and teachers have become the focus of a ransom demand by the perpetrators. The kidnappers of five pupils and four staff members from the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools in Emure Ekiti are asking for a N100 million ransom for the release of the nine victims abducted on Monday.
The principal of the secondary section of the school, Boje Olanireti, confirmed the ransom demand in an interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday. Despite ongoing efforts by security agencies, the incidence of kidnappings continues to escalate across various parts of the country.
On the same day, two Ekiti monarchs, the Onimojo of Imojo, Oba Olatunde Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, were killed by gunmen, with the Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, narrowly escaping. The traditional rulers were attacked while returning from a function in Kogi State, encountering the suspected kidnappers on the highway between Ipao and Oke Ako in the Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
The schoolchildren and staff were abducted when the bus, carrying over 25 pupils home after school, was ambushed by the gunmen in the Emure community. The incident took place about a five-minute drive from the school.
The principal, Boje Olanireti, provided details of the abduction, explaining that after shooting the bus’s tire, the gunmen forced the children and staff to exit the vehicle, selected five students, and four staff members, leaving the others unharmed. The kidnapped victims include two secondary school students, three primary school students, two teachers, one driver, and one bus assistant.
The kidnappers initially demanded N10 million per victim when they contacted the families but later increased their ransom demand to N100 million for the release of all nine victims. The affected families, unable to afford such a sum, are seeking assistance from various security outfits, including the police and Amotekun.
The Aremo of Emure Kingdom, Chief Clement Akinola, appealed to the state government for assistance in securing the release of the abducted children. He also called for the establishment of military posts along the borders between Emure community and Ondo State to address the rising incidents of kidnappings and gunmen activities in the area.
Meanwhile, the police in Ekiti State reported the arrest of five suspected kidnappers during a joint operation with other security agencies. The suspects, initially claiming to be herdsmen, were found without cattle, and items such as motorcycles, a cutlass, a jack knife/dagger, and four phones were recovered from them.
In response to the killing of the two monarchs, Ekiti State communities expressed grief, and Governor Biodun Oyebanji visited the affected palaces to offer condolences. The governor condemned the attacks and killings, assuring residents that the government would intensify efforts to ensure the security of the people. The governor also mentioned that President Bola Tinubu had directed security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators. The communities called for increased security measures, including military checkpoints and regular bush combing operations to curb criminal activities in the porous border areas.
