Sophia Michaels
A herdsman has confessed to killing two traditional rulers in the Ikole axis of Ekiti State with the help of his members.
Alhaji Baboga confessed how he and members of his gang murdered the monarchs before camera men.
The suspect spoke to journalists after he was paraded before journalists on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti by the Assistant Inspector General of police (AIG) in charge of Ekiti, Dare Ogundare.
Speaking with reporters yesterday at the Ekiti State Police Headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, Baboga, confirmed his involvement in the crime.
The suspect said he and four others were involved in the operation that led to the death of the two traditional rulers.
He said, “I am a herdsman and I have my cows in the bush. The other four threatened to shoot me if I did not join them in the operation.
“They brought the ammunition and I was going about in the bush with my cows when they said I should join, and I joined them.
“When we were in the bush, we saw the vehicle conveying the three traditional rulers from distance and we jumped on the road.
“We didn’t plan to kill the traditional rulers, but I can’t remember what happened. My friends shot at them and we ran away. They left the bush immediately. They have been kidnapping people for ransom. I joined them once to kidnap and they gave me N5,000 from the money they collected.
“It was when I came to town from to buy garri that I was arrested by security operatives.”
Earlier, AIG Ogundare said it took the combined efforts of security agencies in the state to apprehend the suspect in the forest between Ayedun and Ayebode
He said that the suspect had confessed to the crime while efforts are on to apprehend his accomplices.
The AIG, who said no arrest was made during the rescue operation for the abducted school pupils and their teachers, however, informed journalists that some other suspects had been arrested at Oke Osun, in Ikere Ekiti, Igbo Okah and Iju-Ikere boundary forest.
On whether ransom was paid to secure the release of the Emure abductees, the police boss said that the Nigeria Police would never encourage ransom payment, commending the Inspector General of Police, and the Ekiti State governor for their intervention in the quick release of the school pupils and their teacher.
