Bandits Abduct Newly Installed Monarch, Wife & One Other In Kwara Community

Armed bandits stormed the palace of the traditional ruler in Olayinka community, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, in the early hours of Saturday and abducted the monarch.

The assailants arrived heavily armed around 1:40am, firing shots sporadically before whisking away Oba Salman Aweda, his wife and one other person to an unknown destination. A community source who spoke on condition of anonymity said residents were too terrified to resist the attack.

NaijaChoice News gathered that Oba Aweda was among the recently graded traditional rulers officially installed by the Kwara State Government earlier this year. The development has left many residents in shock, coming so soon after his elevation.

This marks the third abduction of a traditional ruler in Kwara South within the past year. In December 2025, the Ojibara of Bayagan Ile, Kamilu Salami, was kidnapped and released after ransom payments. Similarly, the Oniwo of Afin, Oba Simeon Olanipekun, regained freedom in February 2026 following weeks in captivity.

Local sources told NaijaChoice News the incident is fast becoming a disturbing trend that has left people living in fear across the area. Traditional institutions are increasingly targeted by criminal elements, they added.

There are conflicting accounts on the number of people taken. While some community voices insist the wife and another resident were also abducted, the Kwara State Police Command said only the monarch was kidnapped and that the attackers carted away a large sum of money from the palace.

As of press time, security agencies had not issued an official statement, though efforts to rescue the royal father are said to be ongoing. Residents have appealed to the state government and security operatives to step up action against the rising insecurity in the region.