Abductors of Kwara monarch and son demand N450m ransom
Kidnappers who recently abducted the Oniwo of Aafin, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, his son, and several other residents of Ifelodun Local Government Area have issued a staggering ransom demand totaling N450 million for their safe return. The violent incident began on the night of December 31, 2025, when approximately eight armed gunmen stormed the royal palace in the Aafin community. During the chaotic invasion, the attackers fired shots sporadically to force their way into the building, leaving the local community in a state of shock as they overwhelmed the palace security.
The brutality of the assault was marked by the injury of the monarch’s wife, Felicia Olaonipekun, who was shot in the arm during the struggle and has since been hospitalized for treatment. Following the gunfire, the abductors seized the traditional ruler and his son, Olaolu, who is currently a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps. This high-profile abduction was followed by the kidnapping of eight additional residents from the nearby Adanla-Irese suburb, signaling a coordinated wave of insecurity across the Ile-Ire district.
Details regarding the financial demands emerged through Elder Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, the Coordinator of the Kwara South Joint Community Security Watch Network, who confirmed that ransom negotiations have officially commenced. The kidnappers are specifically demanding N150 million for the release of the monarch and his son. This follows a previous demand of N300 million made just days earlier for the group of eight residents taken from the Igbaja axis, bringing the total sum required to secure the freedom of all captives to nearly half a billion naira.
The incident has highlighted the growing vulnerability of traditional institutions and rural communities to armed banditry, as even the local vigilante groups were reportedly unable to repel the superior firepower of the invaders. The brazen nature of the attack on a royal palace at 8:00 pm underscores a deteriorating security situation in the region, leaving families and subjects of the monarch in deep distress. As the community awaits further developments, the focus remains on the safety of the abductees currently held in unknown locations.
As the situation develops, the public and security agencies are monitoring the negotiations closely in hopes of a peaceful resolution. The Kwara South community continues to call for intensified security measures to prevent such daring raids on sovereign local leadership and private citizens alike. The pressure now rests on both the government and local security networks to navigate these exorbitant demands while ensuring the safe return of the monarch and his fellow captives
