How I Mysteriously Escaped Assassination Attempt – Ekiti Monarch Recounts
One of the traditional rulers in Ekiti State, the Alara of Ara in Ikole-Ekiti, Oba Sunday Fatoba, has recounted how he escaped an assassination attempt that killed two of his colleagues.
The monarch spoke on Thursday, at the ongoing Yoruba Security Summit in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
He said nine hefty men with guns unleashed mayhem on him and two others, including the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsakin, and the Olumojo of Imojo-Ekiti, Oba Samuel Olusola.
While Elesun and Olumojo were killed in the attack, Oba Fatoba mysteriously escaped from the scene to bring back help from the nearest communities.
His words, “Our attackers did not attempt to kidnap us but to kill the three of us in the car. We went for a security meeting with the monarch of Koro-Ekiti, who was killed a few days after the attack on us. We created a special security team among the communities to curtail the rising insecurity because of our proximity to the north.
“We discovered that these evil men infiltrate Ekiti state from Kwara and Kogi states, hence, the decision to form a security forum.
“While we were returning on that day, six hefty men emerged from the bush with guns and cutlasses and started shooting at us immediately. Their intentions were not to kidnap anyone but to kill us all. One of them started attacking me with a cutlass, but it did not have any effect.
“Then another one started shooting at me with a pump action, and it had no effect. While they picked up a large truck to smash it on my head, I had to leave the scene with the help of my… well, I just escaped to bring back help. But before I returned with the vigilante group, they had killed my colleagues and escaped.
“The Elesun is not a weak monarch, I know him too well, but those who attacked us had their plans well marshalled. He was attacked with an AK-47 and cutlass several times, and his body was shot at several times too,” he said.
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
