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 north-west. This trend has recently expanded to other parts of the country.
It 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 stated that 10 heavily armed men forced their way into the palace shortly after miners visiting the monarch had left. The miners had handed over some cash, details of which remain unclear. Ojo reported that the assailants demanded money related to the earlier visit, forcing the monarch to comply before taking him hostage. His brother was tied to a tree after struggling to keep up with the kidnappers.
Residents say the kidnappers later made contact demanding a ransom. Local officials are coordinating with security agencies and vigilante groups for the safe release of the monarch amid growing violence targeting highways, farms, and traditional leaders, often exploiting forested areas along the state's borders to evade security forces.
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 north-west. This trend has recently expanded to other parts of the country.
It 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 stated that 10 heavily armed men forced their way into the palace shortly after miners visiting the monarch had left. The miners had handed over some cash, details of which remain unclear. Ojo reported that the assailants demanded money related to the earlier visit, forcing the monarch to comply before taking him hostage. His brother was tied to a tree after struggling to keep up with the kidnappers.
Residents say the kidnappers later made contact demanding a ransom. Local officials are coordinating with security agencies and vigilante groups for the safe release of the monarch amid growing violence targeting highways, farms, and traditional leaders, often exploiting forested areas along the state's borders to evade security forces.
