Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has described the murder of 14-year-old Faith Moses in Emure Ekiti as painful and devastating.
The victim, initially reported to be 16, was killed by suspected herdsmen, identified as Bashir Alaba, 31, and Mohammad Jamiu, 36, for resisting rape.
Oyebanji spoke during a sympathy visit to the deceased’s family on Wednesday.
Addressing the town on the escalating insecurity in the border community, Oyebanji, represented by the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, suggested that those perpetrating the murders must be receiving inside information from locals, which he said must be stopped.
Describing the increasing number of killings as frightening, Oyebanji urged citizens to be vigilant. He noted that the military post established along the Emure-Eporo-Emure Ile road should be sufficient to deter kidnappers operating along the border with Ondo State, but expressed regret that this was being undermined by internal collusion.
“Let me sympathise with you on the death of one of your citizens killed recently. I was saddened by the report of this killing. But I want you to be vigilant. There is no way some people can enter your town and start kidnapping and killings without some people feeding them with information,” he stated.
“This government is empowering all the security agencies and local hunters to make Ekiti safe. We are also working with other neighbouring states like Kwara, Ondo, Kogi and Osun. Forest combing should be sustained and this should be done with the security agencies.
“But, warn your youth who are in the habit of colluding with external bodies to create an atmosphere of insecurity. In fact, in most cases they are the ones supplying information to these kidnappers. All these must stop. We will work hard to make you secure and you shouldn’t do anything that will frustrate our efforts.”
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti Command, Mr Joseph Eribo, said that community policing has become the most acceptable and conventional policing system globally, adding that his officers will continue to partner with all stakeholders to ensure that those perpetrating crimes in Ekiti are arrested and punished accordingly.
Narrating how the incident happened, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, Sunday Abutu, said that the suspects, who had initially wanted to rape the girl, slit her throat on a farm after she struggled with them.
“The two suspects, Bashir Alaba, 31, and Mohammad Jamiu, 36, were arrested very close to the scene of the crime with two cutlasses suspected to have been used for the heinous act. Investigation is in progress,” Abutu said.
“On 9 February 2025, at about 19:10 hours, Toyin Moses of Odo-Emure Street, Emure-Ekiti, came in distress to Emure Divisional Police Headquarters and reported that her husband, Joshua Moses, before embarking on a journey to Oka Akoko in Ondo State, instructed their daughter, Faith Moses, to check his trap in his farm along Okeseri Road, Emure-Ekiti.
“According to her, while the girl went to the farm to check the trap, she went with her younger brother, five-year-old Testimony Moses.
“On getting to the farm, information from the younger brother, who escaped from the scene, has it that two men accosted them and threatened to either have carnal knowledge of Faith Moses or kill her.
“She refused and struggled with them, and in the process, they brought out two cutlasses, slit her throat, and cut off her right hand.
”Upon receiving the information, police operatives swung into action and cordoned off the farm and arrested the two suspects in the process.”
