Date: 2019-04-21

Ekiti State government has ordered the deployment of military Joint Task Force patrol across towns sharing border with Kwara State.

The operational squad was instituted to curtail the overbearing influence of the suspected killer -bandits.

Some suspected herdsmen last week Tuesday besieged a farmstead called Eda under Iyemero in Ikole Local Government Area of the State and shot two persons.

They also raided some houses during the midnight attack.

Those shot by assailants, including a seven-year- old boy later died in the hospital, which prompted Governor Kayode Fayemi to seek military intervention to save the border town from further carnage.

The Olu of Iyemero-Ekiti Oba Ebenezer Ogungbemi commended Fayemi for his quick and tactical intervention.

He said this was a true reflection of responsive and people-centred government.

The monarch and members of his council, in a letter dated April, 20 and addressed to Fayemi, said the concerted effort of military and local hunters would annihilate the suspected killer herders and restore peace to the beleaguered community.

Ogungbemi assured the community would help the soldiers with sensitive information to stem the tides of killings in the town.

He said about 60 persons displaced from their respective houses and took refuge in his palace for three days, had since returned home due to Fayemi's timely intervention.

The letter reads: "We are thankful to Governor Fayemi for deploying military joint task force to restore permanent peace and tranquillity to the people of Iyemero, which has guaranteed peaceful coexistence among the residents of the community.

"Olu-in-Council and entire people of Iyemero Ekiti wish to express our deepest and heartfelt gratitude to the governor for his immediate and prompt response during the last week insurgency , which led to death, maiming , displacement, chaos and disturbance of public peace in our town.

"With the support and assurances of Mr Governor, we are convinced that lasting peace is in sight and we are protected from the yet to be identified assailants and terrorists.

"We are happy to inform you that the displaced farmers had returned to their farmstead".

The monarch added that the Governor had built the foundation of trust and confidence in the residents by approving immediate construction of a police station in Iyemero, which will provide safety and ward off criminals from the boundary community

Ogungbemi assured that the local hunters had started receiving instructions on the need to be conventional in approach and refrain from any action that could portray them as being vindictive against any ethnic group.

"This military deployment won't stop us from being security conscious.

"We are not unaware that the military can only discharge their duties effectively when they are provided with truthful information they can work upon.

"We are also looking inwards to ensure that saboteurs have no room to operate, so that the operation targeted at curtailing these blood sucking bandits can be successful," he said.

The monarch expressed appreciation to the governor for being magnanimous towards the injured through payment of their hospital bills.