In brief
Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda, the traditional ruler of Olayinka community in Kwara State, was abducted during an armed assault on his palace. The kidnappers allegedly demanded a ransom of $300,000. Police have arrested 42 individuals as they investigate the case and the increase in security threats from banditry across Nigeria.
Police in western Nigeria have arrested 42 suspected illegal miners as part of an investigation into the abduction of a local monarch. Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda, the ruler of the Olayinka community in Ifelodun in Kwara state, was kidnapped on Saturday evening when armed men stormed his palace. The kidnappers have reportedly demanded a ransom of $300,000 (£221,000) to free the traditional ruler, though the authorities have not confirmed this.Police are conducting search operations in the surrounding area as fears grow about security in Kwara state, which has seen a recent rise in attacks on rural communities. For years, members of criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, have carried out killings and kidnappings for ransom, mainly targeting those in the northwest, but they have been moving to other parts of the country more recently. This has led to the rise of vigilante groups set up to protect local communities from bandits.The jihadist group Mahmuda has also been active in rural parts of Kwara and in February launched a brazen attack on a Muslim community, killing at least 75 people and targeting the family of a traditional ruler after he refused to allow them to preach in the vicinity.Kwara State Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo reported that about 10 heavily armed men forced their way into the palace shortly after miners operating in the area had visited the monarch. The miners had apparently handed over some cash to the local king, and the kidnappers demanded that money. According to Ojo, The terrorists broke down the door of his palace, fetched him from one of the rooms, and demanded money the miners gave him earlier in the day. The monarch reportedly handed over the money but was still taken away with his brother.Residents say the kidnappers later made contact demanding a ransom, prompting local officials to work with security agencies and vigilante groups for the safe release of the monarch. Meanwhile, attacks are rising in parts of Kwara, with armed groups increasingly targeting highways, farms, and traditional leaders, exploiting forests along state borders to evade security forces.
