42 Arrested in Nigeria Following Abduction of Local Monarch

Tue Apr 21 2026 20:58:33 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Authorities apprehend suspects tied to the kidnapping of Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda, while tension rises in Kwara State due to increasing violence.

In a recent incident in Kwara State, Nigeria, police have arrested 42 individuals suspected of illegal mining as part of an investigation into the kidnapping of local monarch Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda. Abducted by armed men demanding a $300,000 ransom, the chief’s situation highlights the ongoing security challenges in a region grappling with a rise in kidnappings. The police have intensified operations in response to the alarming trend of violence affecting rural communities.

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, 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, attacking a Muslim community in February, killing at least 75 people after targeting the family of a traditional ruler who refused to allow them to preach in the vicinity.

Kwara State Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo stated 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 before the abduction.

The kidnappers allegedly broke into the palace, fetched him from one of the rooms, and demanded the money the miners had given him earlier in the day. Although the monarch reportedly handed over the money, he was taken away with his brother, who was tied to a tree when he could no longer keep up with the abduction.

Residents say the kidnappers later made contact demanding a ransom. Local officials are working with security agencies and vigilante groups for the safe release of the monarch.

Parts of Kwara have seen a rise in attacks on rural communities, with armed groups increasingly targeting highways, farms, and traditional leaders. In several cases, the abductors have exploited forested areas along the state's borders to evade security forces.