Gunmen suspected to be bandits have abducted a traditional ruler, his wife, and one other resident during a midnight attack on Olayinka community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The attackers stormed the palace of Oba Salman Aweda around 1:40 a.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2026, firing sporadically to scare residents before whisking the monarch and two others away to an unknown destination.
A local source confirmed the attack, saying: “It happened in Olayinka around 1 a.m. His wife and one other person were also taken. The monarch is one of the recently graded traditional rulers”.
The incident has thrown the community into panic, especially as the monarch was recently elevated and formally installed by the Kwara State Government. Another resident described the operation as swift and terrifying: “The bandits came heavily armed around 1:40 a.m. and took the monarch away. Everybody was scared, so nobody could do anything”.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Abdulrasheed Yusuf, described it as deeply disturbing and assured that efforts were underway to secure the victims’ release. A joint search-and-rescue operation involving security operatives, forest guards, and local vigilantes has been launched across surrounding forests and neighbouring communities.
The Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Adekimi Ojo, said security operatives had intensified pressure on the perpetrators. “The kidnappers have gone into hiding because of the ongoing onslaught against them. The challenge is the activities of local collaborators, but we are on their trail,” he said.
The abduction has heightened fears of renewed bandit activity in Kwara South, with residents calling for a stronger security presence to prevent further attacks.
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