Traditional Ruler Abducted in Ifelodun as Gunmen Strike Kwara Communities

Kwara State is again confronting rising rural insecurity after gunmen abducted a traditional ruler, Oba Bayagan, in Ifelodun Local Government Area, on Saturday.

Community residents told reporters the attack was sudden, unleashing widespread panic as locals fled for safety.

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The abduction has intensified fears in Ifelodun and neighboring council areas, where armed groups have increasingly targeted rural settlements in recent years.

This comes barely weeks after rural attacks shook other parts of Kwara State. In Manba Village, located in Patigi LGA, gunmen reportedly stormed the community around 11pm, firing shots while residents scattered. Two villagers were abducted in the late-night raid.

Local accounts indicate the armed group entered Manba Village through the Rogun axis, operating without resistance before kidnapping their victims and disappearing into surrounding forests.

Before that, in the Ekiti LGA axis of Kwara, multiple armed gangs separately attacked Isapa Community and Manba Village. In Isapa, at least 11 residents—mostly women and youth—were reportedly kidnapped. Similar attacks along the Ekiti-Ifelodun rural belt have caused prolonged disruptions in social and economic activities, according to community sources.

In a separate attack outside Kwara, armed groups also invaded a church in Eruku, abducting worshippers mid-service. The victims were subsequently rescued following police intervention.

Security experts warn that Kwara’s rural settlements, especially across the Ifelodun, Ekiti, Patigi, and Patigi-forest corridors, are now major flashpoints requiring improved surveillance, local intelligence, and sustained protection of traditional institutions.

No official details have been released regarding ransom demands or the state of investigations as of press time. Communities across Kwara remain on edge as local leaders and residents call for rapid security deployment and strengthened rural protection measures.