Kidnappers of Ekiti Monarch Demand N20m Ransom

By Victor Ogunje

The abductors of the Obadu of Ilemeso Ekiti, Ekiti State, Oba David Oyewumi, have demanded N20 million ransom from the family for his freedom.

Suspected gunmen, numbering about six, last Thursday besieged the Oba palace and abducted the monarch around 9p.m.

The abductors, who fired gunshots sporadically into the air, were said to have scaled the fence to the palace and moved straight into the monarch’s apartment and whisked him away.

Ilemeso, a town in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, is a neighboring town to Isan Ekiti, the home town of the state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

A family source confided in some journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday that the gunmen contacted the family last Saturday evening and made the financial demand.

The source said: “We have been contacted. They called us around 7.03p.m. last Saturday and demanded that we pay the sum of N20 million for the king to be released.

“We are really worried by this demand. The family is taking further steps to ensure that Kabiyesi is released as soon as possible.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Sunday Abutu, said the police and other security agencies are making frantic efforts to rescue the monarch from captivity.

Abutu said: “We are taking all security measures to ensure that we rescue the Oba. We are not resting on our oars.

“We are working with other sister agencies in this regard as well as working on intelligence gathering at our disposal.”