Our correspondent learnt that the incident was said to have occurred at about 4 pm on Thursday, between Alabe and Okesa villages in the Ewekoro Local Government Area of the state.
PUNCH Online further learnt that one of the members of the Social Orientation and Safety Corps who stormed the scene following the news of the shootings in the area was said to have been killed by the gunmen.
According to a police source who was privy to the report but chose not to be named because he was not authorised to speak for the command, the two local chiefs sustained gunshot wounds in the head and shoulders, respectively, when the gunmen unexpectedly emerged from the bush and started shooting at them.
The cop said, “One of the Baales sustained gunshot wounds in the shoulder, and another had a wound in the head. They were returning from their Council of Oba’s meeting when about five hoodlums emerged from the bush and started shooting at them.
“They were rushed to the hospital where they are currently receiving treatment. Some of the villagers informed the SO SAFE officials who were stationed at a nearby village. But immediately they got to the scene, the hoodlums opened fire on them, killing one of them instantly while the others sustained gunshot wounds.”
When contacted on Friday, the state Police Public Relations officer, Odutola Omolola, confirmed the incident and said that the two Baales had been taken to the hospital for treatment.
She said “The Baales who were shot are stable in the hospital. The vigilante corps member that was shot was said to have responded to the incident with two other corps officers without arms and without waiting for the Divisional Police to move in a team to chase the gunmen.
“Unfortunately, the vigilante commander was shot, and before doctors could attend to him, he gave up the ghost.
“Witnesses accounts are yet to ascertain the language they heard the fleeing suspects speak, and the exact intent of the purported attack is yet unknown because no valuables of those attacked were taken from them.
“The divisional police officer, in company with Vigilante, hunters, and SO-Safe and Amotekun have remained on combing operations in a bid to get more clues to the incident.”
The PUNCH reported in January 2024 that gunmen suspected to be herdsmen killed two traditional rulers in Ekiti State on Monday in an incident that was said to have happened between Oke-Ako and Ipao-Ekiti in the Ajoni Local Government Area of the state.
The duo of Onimojo of Imojo Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area and Elesun of Esun Ekiti in Ajoni, Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State, were also returning from a meeting when some gunmen emerged from the bush and opened fire at them.
The Ekiti State Police Command later confirmed the arrest of one suspect linked to the killing of two traditional rulers.
