By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has visited victims of the recent Eda Oniyo kidnapping at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, where they are receiving treatment following their rescue.
The visit came less than 24 hours after the victims were admitted to the hospital on the Governor’s directive.
Received by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Human Services, Mrs. Olusola Gbenga-Igotun, and the Acting Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Prof. Oladele Olatunya, Oyebanji condemned the attack, assuring residents that his administration was strengthening security to protect lives and make Ekiti unsafe for criminals.
He warned against politicising security issues, stressing that kidnapping and other criminal acts should not be reduced to partisan debates.
The Governor thanked God for the safe return of the victims, describing their ordeal as traumatic, and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety of all residents.
He announced that the state government would bear the full cost of the victims’ medical treatment and provide psychological support to aid their recovery and reintegration into society. He also commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting efforts to strengthen security across the country.
Oyebanji praised security agencies for the successful rescue operation and lauded traditional rulers, community leaders and members of the Eda Oniyo Community Development Association for providing intelligence that aided the mission.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, the Governor said it was unacceptable for worshippers to be attacked, stressing that safeguarding communities requires the collective efforts of government, security agencies and citizens.
He expressed satisfaction with the victims’ recovery, noting that all were responding well to treatment, including a child who had earlier been unconscious but had regained consciousness.
Speaking on behalf of the victims, a relative, Mr. Akin Oluwayemi, thanked the Governor and security agencies for their intervention and appealed for sustained security presence in border communities to prevent future attacks.
In a related development, Oyebanji also paid the medical bills of three indigent patients at EKSUTH who had remained in the hospital after discharge due to inability to settle their bills.
The Governor, who encountered the patients while leaving the ward, immediately cleared the bills—totalling more than N2 million—and directed the hospital management to discharge them.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Fasuba Taiwo, expressed gratitude to the Governor for the gesture and prayed for God’s continued blessings on him and his administration.
