Kidnappers holding a traditional ruler in Kwara State captive have issued a staggering ransom demand of four hundred and fifty million naira (N450 million) for the release of the monarch, his son, and other abducted villagers.
Details of the Ransom Demand
According to palace sources who spoke on Friday, the abductors have broken down their demands. They are asking for N150 million specifically for the Oniwo of Aafin, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, and his son, Olaolu, who is a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
A separate demand of N300 million was issued for eight other residents taken from Adanla-Irese, a suburb of Igbaja in Ifelodun Local Government Area. Elder Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, Coordinator of the Kwara South Joint Community Security Watch Network, confirmed the figures and that negotiations have commenced.
Violent Attack on the Palace
The monarch was seized in a brazen attack on Wednesday night, around 8 pm. Eyewitnesses report that approximately eight armed men stormed his palace in the Aafin community, firing gunshots sporadically.
"They broke down the doors with their guns and demanded to see the monarch and his wife," a family source revealed. During the violent invasion, the Oba's wife, Felicia Olaonipekun, was shot in the arm and later hospitalized. The local vigilante group was reportedly overwhelmed, with only two members on duty at the time.
A Community Under Siege
This incident is part of a disturbing pattern in the area. In a related attack on Boxing Day, suspected bandits invaded the Adanla community around 7 p.m., abducting eight residents in a similar late-evening raid. Residents described the attackers moving from house to house, forcing compliance with gunfire.
As of the latest updates, the Kwara State Police Command has not released an official statement regarding the kidnappers' ransom demands. The situation highlights ongoing security challenges in the region, with communities and families left in anxious anticipation.
