ADO-EKITI —TENSION yesterday gripped Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state capital as some unidentified gunmen invaded the house of the Council Chairman, Mr. Taye Fasuba Saturday at Omolayo Area, along Ikere Road in a bid to assassinate him.
Fasuba, however escaped the assassins bullets by whiskers but one of his assailants died in the process. His body has been deposited at the State Specialist Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, even as irate youths stormed the State Capital in the early hours of yesterday demanding the whereabout of Mr. Fasuba, whom they thought might have been killed and taken away by his attackers.
Fasuba, however, showed up at Ewi’s palace the following morning, where he narrated his ordeal to newsmen.
His story: “It was about 9:30pm and the network news was on. I was playing video game with my wife when I suddenly heard gunshots and breaking of equipment. They were about 30 and immediately they came, they cut off electricity to the compound. They got to my flat and one of them gained entrance into my bedroom.
“I was struggling with the one who was in my bedroom, I heard my wife who blocked the door for about 10 minutes pleading and offering them money which they refused, I heard them asking my wife 'where is your husband? Where is your husband? We have come to kill him'.
“After giving the one in my bedroom several head butts, I overpowered him and now moved to meet the one that was at the door, gave that one also several head butts and blows which dazed him.
After escaping from the scene, Fasuba said he jumped through the fence and ran to the Ologede police station, which is the nearest to his house, adding that one of the gunmen was mistakenly shot by one of them and had his head shattered.
On getting to the Police Station, after reporting the incident to the officer on duty, he told him that he had no gun in the station, that the only one they had, had been taken on patrol.
Briefing newsmen later on the attack, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe II said he got information about the ugly incident about 10:00pm on Saturday which prompted him to contact the acting commissioner of police, DCP Patrick Egbuniwe, adding that when there was no response till about midnight he had to contact the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun for assistance at about 2:00pm.
Oba Adejugbe said the IGP had to dispatch the Deputy Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Mr. Ebenze Owoeye to Ekiti to take control of the security of the State and that the palace has prevailed on the youths to maintain peace.
Reacting to the incident, the State Government said it received the news of the attack with utter shock.
The State Deputy Governor, Mr. Abiodun Aluko in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti yesterday said: “The Government of Ekiti State has received the news of the unfortunate incident that happened in the state Capital Ado -Ekiti with utter shock.”
“We are pleased to note that the Chairman of Ado-Ekiti Local Government Mr. Taye Fasuba and his family are safe.”
Meanwhile, the embattled Council Chairman Mr. Fasuba and Governor Ayo Fayose (who was out of town when the incident happened) have been invited by the Presidency to resolve the crisis between them.
