Dalena Reporters l December 24, 2025
A traditional ruler in Kwara State has been freed by armed bandits after spending 25 days in captivity, returning home late Tuesday night to wild celebration from residents of his community. The monarch, Alhaji Kamilu Salami, the Ojibara of Bayagan Ile in Ifelodun Local Government Area, was abducted from his farm on November 29, 2025, and held by kidnappers deep in forested terrain before his release.
Community leaders confirmed that the monarch’s release followed two substantial ransom payments demanded by his captors and raised entirely by members of his community without financial support from local or state government authorities. Spokesperson Ayinla Lawal said negotiations had dragged on over the weeks because of the difficulty in raising the funds demanded, explaining that “only members of the community contributed the amount … it was really tough for us, and that is why it took time.”
The monarch’s safe return to Bayagan Ile sparked jubilant scenes, with hundreds of residents gathering at the palace to congratulate his family and express relief that he had survived the ordeal. Lawal and other community elders who requested that the exact ransom sum not be disclosed praised the resilience of villagers and thanked God for his release.
After his release, Salami was taken to Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, for urgent medical evaluation following his traumatic captivity. His younger brother, Aliyu, who acted as the community’s representative in delivering the ransom, described the captors as constantly moving and difficult to locate, forcing tense and prolonged negotiations.
In response to the crisis, community leaders say they have recruited additional vigilantes and hunters to bolster local security, with the hope that residents who fled during the monarch’s abduction will begin returning home and normal life can resume.
The release of the Kwara monarch comes amid growing concerns over banditry and kidnappings in parts of Nigeria, which have led to multiple high-profile abductions in recent months and years, frequently involving hefty ransom demands and extended negotiations.
Published by Dalena Reporters.