kidnappers of the Kwara State traditional ruler, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, the Oniwo of Aafin and his son, Olaolu and eight other villagers have asked for N450 million ransoms to release them.
A palace source, on Friday, told our reporter that the abductors demanded N150 million on the monarch and his son, Olaolu, a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
According to him, an additional N300 million ransom was placed on the release of eight other residents abducted in Adanla-Irese, a suburb of Igbaja in Ifelodun Local Council.
The Coordinator of the Kwara South Joint Community Security Watch Network, Elder Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, confirmed that negotiations had begun for the release of the abductees.
“Only two days ago, the kidnappers demanded N300 million for the release of the Adanla abductees. Today, they demanded N150 million for the monarch and his son,” he said.
Recall that the monarch was abducted Wednesday night, when gunmen reportedly stormed the palace in Aafin community, Ile-Ire district of Ifelodun LGA, at about 8pm. Eyewitness said that about eight armed men invaded the palace, firing sporadically and forcing entry into the palace.
“They broke down the doors with their guns and demanded to see the monarch and his wife,” a family source said. During the attack, the monarch’s wife, Felicia Olaonipekun, was shot in the arm and later taken to a hospital for treatment.
The attackers subsequently abducted the monarch and his son, as the local vigilante group was overwhelmed. According to sources, only two vigilante members were on duty at the time of the attack and were unable to confront the heavily armed assailants.
The eight residents were abducted on boxing day after invaded Adanla community in Ifelodun Local Council, in a late evening raid. Residents said the attackers stormed the agrarian community around 7:pm, firing sporadically as they moved from house to house, forcing residents to comply.
As of press time, the Kwara State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the ransom demands.
