Fear has gripped the Olayinka community in Ifelodun Local Government Area after gunmen stormed the home of their traditional ruler in the dead of night and took him away.
Salman Olátúnjí Aweda was abducted in the early hours of Saturday when more than 10 armed attackers reportedly broke into his residence around midnight, forcing doors open and seizing him along with another person.
Residents say the attackers moved quickly and with force, leaving little room for resistance as they dragged both victims into the surrounding bush.
But along the way, the second abductee reportedly told the gunmen he could not continue walking without shoes — and challenged them to kill him if they wished. Instead, the attackers allegedly tied him to a tree and continued their journey with the monarch.
Now, the community waits in anxiety.
The abductors have reportedly demanded a ransom of ₦400 million — a figure that has shocked residents and heightened fears over the safety of lives in the area.
By morning, tension had spread across the town.
Abdulrasheed Femi Yusuf visited the community, assuring residents that efforts are underway to secure the monarch’s release.
“We are deeply concerned about this incident, and we are taking swift and decisive action in collaboration with security agencies,” he said.
Security operatives, alongside forest guards and local vigilantes, have since intensified search operations across nearby forests.
But beyond the immediate rescue effort, a deeper concern is growing.
For many residents, this is not just an isolated incident — it feels like a warning sign.
A fear that insecurity, once thought to be under control in Kwara South, may be quietly returning.
And as families lock their doors earlier and communities grow more cautious, one question lingers in the air:
Who will be next?