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) for the freedom of the traditional ruler, though the authorities have not confirmed this figure.
In response to the kidnapping, police are conducting search operations in the surrounding area amid growing concerns about security in Kwara state, which has experienced a recent increase in attacks on rural communities. For years, criminal gangs, locally known as bandits, have engaged in killings and kidnappings for ransom, primarily targeting individuals in the north-west; however, their activities are spreading to other areas, prompting the rise of vigilante groups formed to protect local communities.
The jihadist group Mahmuda is also active in rural parts of Kwara and was involved in a deadly attack on a Muslim community earlier this year.
Kwara State Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo reported that about ten heavily armed men forced their way into the monarch's palace shortly after miners operating in the area had visited him, possibly leading to the timing of the abduction.
The terrorists broke down the door of his palace, fetched him from one of the rooms, and demanded money from the miners that he had received earlier that day, Ojo stated. Despite handing over the cash, the monarch was taken away along with his brother, who was later tied to a tree when he could no longer keep up.
As investigations continue, local officials are collaborating with security agencies and vigilante groups to secure the safe release of Oba Aweda, highlighting the escalating danger faced by traditional leaders in the region.
In response to the kidnapping, police are conducting search operations in the surrounding area amid growing concerns about security in Kwara state, which has experienced a recent increase in attacks on rural communities. For years, criminal gangs, locally known as bandits, have engaged in killings and kidnappings for ransom, primarily targeting individuals in the north-west; however, their activities are spreading to other areas, prompting the rise of vigilante groups formed to protect local communities.
The jihadist group Mahmuda is also active in rural parts of Kwara and was involved in a deadly attack on a Muslim community earlier this year.
Kwara State Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo reported that about ten heavily armed men forced their way into the monarch's palace shortly after miners operating in the area had visited him, possibly leading to the timing of the abduction.
The terrorists broke down the door of his palace, fetched him from one of the rooms, and demanded money from the miners that he had received earlier that day, Ojo stated. Despite handing over the cash, the monarch was taken away along with his brother, who was later tied to a tree when he could no longer keep up.
As investigations continue, local officials are collaborating with security agencies and vigilante groups to secure the safe release of Oba Aweda, highlighting the escalating danger faced by traditional leaders in the region.
