Gunmen who abducted a traditional ruler in Kwara State, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, the Oniwo of Aafin, his son and others have demanded a total ransom of ₦450 million for their release.
The kidnappers are demanding ₦150 million for the release of the monarch and his son, Olaolu, a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps, while an additional ₦300 million was demanded for eight residents abducted from Adanla-Irese, a suburb of Igbaja in Ifelodun Local Government Area.
Coordinator of the Kwara South Joint Community Security Watch Network, Elder Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, confirmed the ransom demands on Friday, saying negotiations had begun.
“Only two days ago, the kidnappers demanded ₦300 million for the Adanla abductees. Today, they demanded ₦150 million for the monarch and his son,” Zubair said.
The monarch was abducted on Wednesday night, December 31, 2025, when armed men reportedly invaded the royal palace in Aafin community, Ile-Ire district of Ifelodun LGA.
Eyewitnesses said about eight gunmen stormed the palace around 8pm, firing sporadically before forcing entry.
“They broke down the doors with their guns and demanded to see the monarch and his wife,” a family source said.
During the attack, the monarch’s wife, Felicia Olaonipekun, was shot in the arm and taken to hospital for treatment. The assailants later abducted the monarch and his son, overwhelming the local vigilante group.
In a related incident, suspected bandits had earlier, on December 26, abducted eight residents of Adanla community during a late-evening raid.
As of press time, the Kwara State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the ransom demands, while residents and community leaders continue to appeal for intensified security efforts to secure the victims’ release.
