Gunmen killed traditional ruler Oba Kehinde Jacob Falodun in his palace in Agamo, Ondo State, sparking outrage and renewed calls for stronger action against rising insecurity.
The quiet community of Agamo in Ondo State was thrown into mourning after gunmen stormed the palace of Kehinde Jacob Falodun and killed the traditional ruler in a brutal attack on February 18. Eyewitnesses said about 10 armed men invaded the palace around 7:10 pm in an apparent attempt to abduct the monarch but later killed him when the plan failed.
The incident has sent shockwaves across the state, with residents calling for urgent measures to address the growing security challenges. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adebowale Lawal, vowed that security operatives would track down those responsible for the killing, assuring that no stone would be left unturned in bringing the perpetrators to justice. Similarly, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa ordered a crackdown on criminal elements and directed security agencies to intensify surveillance across the state.
Relatives of the monarch described the attack as horrifying. His wife, Veronica Falodun, said the gunmen dragged the king from where he was resting outside the palace. “It was like a nightmare. He was just resting outside, and then, they came and took him away. They hit him with daggers, he cried out for help, but no one could come. Kabiyesi went to Akure on the day of the incident and came back that same day. Shortly after he returned, he said he would like to sit outside and take some rest because he was tired. I stayed with him for a while and went inside. Not long after, I heard some argument outside, and before I knew it, some masked persons looking like bandits came and began to drag Baba (the monarch) and also shooting at the same time. They were 10 in number. Three of them were at the entrance of the palace, while the remaining seven came inside. I ran away.
One of them chased me, but he did not know how I escaped. They shot at me, but the bullets missed me. The killers dragged him in an attempt to abduct him from his palace, the gunmen shot at him repeatedly, but the bullets failed to penetrate his body. Kabiyesi was crying for help, but nobody could come out in the face of gunshots. They kept dragging him. Nobody came out. The gunmen, who were speaking a different language, shot at him several times but their bullets did not penetrate. They now hit him on the head and his stomach before he died.”
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