Kwara: Bandits demand for N400m, foods, drinks to free 22 captives

By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

Currently, more than 22 individuals are being held hostage by criminals in various localities within Kwara South, with the captors seeking a total ransom exceeding N400 million, as well as food and beverages.

The communities affected include Adanla, Isapa, Isanlu-Isin, and Owa-Onire, all of which are not under the protection of military deployments from both the state and federal governments.

Reliable sources from Vanguard have reported that the bandits have moved from areas such as Okeode and Babanla Eruku, where the federal government has established a military presence, to other locales with minimal or no security to continue their attacks.

At the moment, nine individuals are still in captivity, including the traditional ruler of Afin in the Ile Ere district, Oba Simeon Olanipekun, and his son Olaolu, along with a youth corps member kidnapped in December. Additionally, nine others taken in Isapa and two individuals kidnapped on the highway in Isanlu-Isin earlier this year remain held.

Furthermore, two individuals abducted in Owa-Onire in December continue to be held by their captors.

The monarch, Oba AbdulRahman Fabiyi, the Olowa of Owa-Onire, mentioned that he was himself kidnapped at some point in 2024 and released after a ransom of N5 million was paid. He informed reporters on Friday that the two individuals taken in December are still with the bandits.

He stated, “I spoke with the two of them yesterday. We have paid N2 million and negotiated it down to N800,000, along with a list of food and drinks which they require us to bring in addition to the monetary amount for their release.”

The monarch expressed concerns about the lack of security in the community, appealing to the state government to promptly establish a police station in Owa-Onire to help prevent ongoing kidnappings.

He remarked, “They operate freely here; there is no security presence in Owa-Onire. We worry that once they finish spending the ransom and consuming the food and drinks we provided, they will return to kidnap more of my people. Therefore, we urgently need a security presence to mitigate this troubling situation.”

Oba Olanipekun reflected on his distressing experiences with bandits and the failure of security forces to effectively confront them, noting, “The forest is vast, and there are numerous routes; they are familiar with these paths because they have been operating in this area for decades. That is why they always threaten anyone who tries to escape.”