Tuesday 30 January 2024

School Children, Others Kidnapped in EKiti, Tinubu Reacts

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President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate rescue of the six children kidnapped in EKiti today.

Newsmen recall that some school children have been kidnapped in Ekiti by unknown gunmen.

The gunmen reportedly abducted six pupils and three teachers of a private school and their bus driver while they were returning from Eporo-Ekiti on Monday night.
In a statement through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu expressed grief and condemned the mindless murder in the South West state.

Tinubu also directed the immediate rescue of the pupils and teachers kidnapped in the State on Tuesday, stressing that the security of life and property is the primary responsibility of his administration.

According to the statement, “It is with grief that President Bola Tinubu receives the news of the 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.

“President Tinubu condemns this mindless and brutal bloodletting, and pledges that the perpetrators will not escape justice.

“The President condoles with the families and subjects of the traditional rulers, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, and the people of Ekiti State on this deeply agonizing development.

“In the same vein, the President directs the immediate rescue of pupils and teachers kidnapped around Eporo-Ekiti area of the State.

“As security of life and property is the primary responsibility of government, President Tinubu assures Nigerians that the nation’s security architecture is being robustly fortified for better and expected outcomes.”



According to a post by Ekititrends on its X account on Tuesday, the incident involved students from Apostolic Faith School, Ekiti.

But hours after the incident, the Ekiti State Government called on residents of the state not to despair as security has been stepped up to rescue them.

The Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji urged the citizens of the state not to despair over Monday’s kidnapping of some school pupils and their teachers in Emure- Ekiti.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Governor assured that efforts are on to rescue the children and their teachers.”

Oyebanji also described the kidnap as callous and unacceptable, saying nothing would be spared in the efforts to rescue them.

The Ekiti Government said “security agencies in the state are already on the trail of the abductors with a mandate to bring the pupils and their teachers back safely.

“Governor Oyebanji said security is being stepped up across the state with a view to flushing out criminal elements from their hideouts,” it added.

“While calling on the citizens to remain calm and vigilant, he urged them to cooperate with security agencies, by making available relevant information to the authorities,” he said.

Governor Oyebanji pledged a swift and comprehensive rescue operation to ensure the safe return of the abducted children.

As of the time of filing this report, law enforcement agencies, including the police and relevant security forces, have reportedly been mobilised to address the situation promptly

Newsmen earlier reports gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Monday killed two Ekiti State monarchs on the Ipao-Oke Ako Road.

The gunmen killed the Onimojo of Imojo in the Oye Local Government Area, Oba Olatunde Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti in the Ikole Local Government Area, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, while the Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba in the Ikole Local Government Area, escaped.


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