The Ekiti State Government has confirmed the abduction of students, teachers, and a driver in the Emure-Ekiti region of the state.
Gunmen abducted six pupils, three teachers of a private school and their bus driver while they were returning from Eporo-Ekiti on Monday night.
The abduction of schoolchildren and teachers happened about 24 hours after two monarchs, the Onimojo of Imojo Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsola, were killed by armed men while returning from a meeting.
Meanwhile, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, in a statement on Tuesday, described the kidnapping of the school pupils as “callous and unacceptable,” saying that nothing would be spared in the efforts to rescue them.
Oyebanji said that security agencies are already on the trail of the abductors to recsue the pupils and their teachers.
He added that security efforts are being stepped up across the state to flush out criminal elements from their hideouts.
Oyebanji, however, urged the citizens of the state not to despair amid the security concerns.
While calling on the citizens to remain calm and vigilant, he called for the cooperation of residents with security agencies through information sharing.
