The son of Oba Simeon Olanipekun, Oniwo of Afin, Olaolu, in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, who was abducted by armed bandits on 31 December 2025, has regained freedom.

However, the monarch and others are still being held captive by the bandits, who have insisted on ransom payments running into millions of naira for their release.

Olaolu, a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, was abducted along with his father and scores of residents during a violent attack on the monarch’s palace in Ile-Ere district of the council area.

Security sources confirmed the release of the abducted youth corps member on Monday in Ilorin, but did not state whether ransom was paid by the community.

The bandits had threatened to kill either the monarch or the son if the community failed to pay ransom for their release.

Our correspondent reported that on 31 December 2025, New Year’s Eve, eight armed bandits invaded Afin community in the Ile-Ere district of Ifelodun and abducted the traditional ruler, Oba Olanipekun, alongside one of his sons, Olaolu, during a violent attack on the palace.

The attack, which occurred around 8:00 pm, was carried out by about eight masked armed men who shot their way into the palace to abduct their targets, including the monarch and a prince.

A family source, who was present at the palace during the incident, told journalists that the assailants appeared to have come specifically for the monarch and his wife.

“I noticed some strange movements outside around 8:00 pm and immediately alerted those inside. We began locking doors and switching off lights, but once they realised this, they started shooting,” the source said.

According to him, the gunmen broke down the palace doors with their weapons and demanded to see the Kabiyesi.
“They gained entrance and requested the Kabiyesi, and he came out. They were also asking for his wife, Felicia Olanipekun, but she had already been hit by a bullet in the arm,” he said.

The source added that Olaolu, one of the monarch’s sons who is currently undergoing his NYSC programme, was also abducted after coming out of hiding.

“There were about ten of us in the palace at the time, as we had come to spend the holiday with Kabiyesi. Everyone was hiding during the attack. After they left, we rushed the Olori to the hospital that same night,” he said.

He noted that the community vigilante group could not repel the attackers, as only two members were on duty and they were overpowered by the gunmen’s superior firepower.

“The vigilantes could not do much because they were just two on duty. The leader of the attackers spoke very good English, and they came straight to the palace. They did not attack any other place in the town,” the source added.

He said the incident was reported to several police formations, including the Owu-Isin and Ijara-Isin divisions, as well as the joint local security network in Ikosin, while neighbouring traditional rulers were also alerted.

At the time of filing this report, there was no official information on contact with the abductors, while the community appealed to the state government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the safe release of the monarch and others still in captivity.