Nigerian Police Arrest 42 Illegal Miners After Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda Kidnapped

Police in western Nigeria have arrested 42 suspected illegal miners as part of the investigation into the abduction of Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda, the ruler of the Olayinka community in Ifelodun, Kwara state. Armed men stormed his palace on Saturday evening.

Reports indicate the kidnappers have demanded a ransom of $300,000 (£221,000) for the traditional ruler's release. Authorities have not officially confirmed this figure. Police are conducting search operations in the surrounding areas of Kwara state, which has experienced a notable increase in attacks on rural communities.

Criminal gangs, locally termed 'bandits', have historically operated in the north-west, perpetrating killings and kidnappings for ransom. These groups have recently expanded their operations into other regions of Nigeria, leading to the formation of local vigilante groups for community protection.

Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, stated that approximately ten heavily armed men forced entry into the palace. This occurred shortly after miners, operating in the vicinity, had visited the monarch. The miners had reportedly given some cash to the king, though the nature of their financial arrangement remains unclear.

Ojo confirmed that the attackers "broke down the door of his palace, fetched him from one of the rooms and demanded for money the miners gave him earlier in the day." The monarch reportedly handed over the money but was still abducted along with his brother. His brother, unable to keep pace, was tied to a tree and left behind, while the gunmen proceeded into the forest with Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda.

Local officials are reportedly collaborating with security agencies and vigilante groups to secure the monarch's release. Parts of Kwara have seen armed groups increasingly target highways, farms, and traditional leaders, frequently exploiting forested border areas to evade security forces.