Monarch Abducted In Kwara As Bandits Strike On Farmland

Bandits have abducted the Ojibara of Bayagan, Oba Kamilu Salami, in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, triggering fresh worries over the rising wave of insecurity across rural communities.

The traditional ruler was seized on Saturday morning while on his farm, according to early accounts from locals who said the attack happened swiftly and without warning. Many residents were left in fear as news of the abduction spread, heightening anxiety in a region that has faced repeated raids in recent months.

Authorities have yet to release an official statement on the incident, and details of the monarch’s whereabouts or the demands of the kidnappers remain unclear. Police in Kwara State had not confirmed the abduction as of the time this report was filed.

As communities in the state struggle with increasing cases of rural banditry, residents say the latest incident only deepens longstanding concerns over safety, farm access, and the continued targeting of vulnerable areas.

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The kidnapping comes amid a broader pattern of abductions across the North-Central region, where traditional rulers, farmers, and travellers have become frequent victims of criminal groups operating with growing confidence. In recent weeks, attacks on farmlands, village outskirts, and border communities have intensified, raising questions about the effectiveness of current security deployments.

Earlier this month, 24 farmers were abducted in Niger State in a similarly swift assault, while security analysts continue to warn that wide forest corridors connecting neighbouring states make rural abductions harder to combat.

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For residents of Bayagan, the sudden disappearance of their monarch has deepened fears that no one is exempt from the expanding reach of bandits. Community leaders say the village is anxious and awaiting coordinated action from security agencies to secure the ruler’s release.

Efforts by Channels Television to obtain official comments from the Kwara State Police Command were unsuccessful at the time of publication.