JUST IN: Bandits Abduct Kwara Monarch at Farm

A traditional ruler in Kwara State, the Ojibara of Bayagan, Alhaji Kamilu Salami, has been abducted by armed bandits. The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at his farm in Bayagan, a community in the Ifelodun Local Government Area.

According to local accounts, the attackers arrived at the farm with AK-47 rifles. Fellow farmers raised an alarm after failing to find the monarch and discovering his motorcycle abandoned on the premises. Villagers immediately began a search.

A resident who spoke anonymously said a farmer from a neighbouring village witnessed the abduction while hiding in a guinea corn field. The eyewitness reportedly saw the assailants force the monarch onto a motorcycle before speeding away.

As of the time of this report, no contact has been made with the family or the community, and no ransom demand has surfaced, heightening anxiety in the area. A family member expressed deep concern, saying the entire community is on edge.

When reached for comment, Police Public Relations Officer Ejire Adeyemi said she had not yet received information on the incident but would seek clarification from the Divisional Police Officer in the area.

The abduction has intensified fears over rising insecurity in Kwara State. In recent weeks, two major kidnapping cases were recorded in the Ekiti Local Government Area, where 38 worshippers were seized at a Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku—an attack that also claimed three lives. Though the victims were eventually rescued, another wave of kidnappings occurred less than 24 hours later in nearby Isapa, where about 20 residents were taken. Those abductees remain in captivity.