IN a tragic incident, an armed gang targeted a palace in northcentral Nigeria, resulting in the death of a monarch and the abduction of two individuals, including the king’s wife. The assailants reportedly stormed the palace of King Peter Aremu Onikoro of Koro-Ekiti in Kwara State on Thursday evening.
Police spokesperson Ejire Adeyemi-Tohun provided details of the incident, stating, ‘The gunmen invaded the residence of the traditional ruler in the evening and killed him, and went away with his wife.’ Authorities have initiated an investigation to apprehend the perpetrators and rescue the kidnapped queen and another individual.
The Kwara State government, led by Gov. AbdulRahman AbdilRazaq, condemned the attack, labelling it as ‘abominable’ and a ‘shocking development.’ Gov. AbdilRazaq urged security agencies to intensify efforts to locate and bring to justice those responsible for the heinous act.
This tragic event follows another grim incident just a week ago when two monarchs were killed in southwest Ekiti State. The monarchs were attacked while returning to their domains after a security meeting, emphasising the concerning rise in such violent acts. Ekiti State and Kwara State, where both incidents occurred, share geographical proximity as neighbouring states.