Police in Nigeria's Kwara state have arrested 42 suspected illegal miners as part of an investigation into the abduction of a local traditional ruler, Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda, who was seized from his palace by armed men.
"The terrorists broke down the door of his palace, fetched him from one of the rooms and demanded for money the miners gave him earlier in the day," said Kwara State Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo.
The monarch, ruler of the Olayinka community in Ifelodun, was kidnapped on Saturday evening. According to police reports, about 10 heavily armed assailants forced their way into the palace shortly after miners operating in the area had visited and handed over cash to the ruler. The details of their business relationship remain unclear.
Authorities say the kidnappers have reportedly demanded a ransom of $300,000 for the monarch's release, though officials have not confirmed this amount. During the abduction, the monarch's brother was also taken but was later tied to a tree and abandoned when he became exhausted.
Police are conducting extensive search operations in surrounding forested areas, which armed groups have increasingly exploited to evade security forces. The incident has heightened fears about security in Kwara state, where attacks on rural communities, highways, farms, and traditional leaders have been rising.
Local officials confirm they are working with security agencies and vigilante groups to secure the monarch's safe release. This kidnapping occurs against a backdrop of expanding criminal activity in Nigeria, where bandit groups traditionally active in the northwest have been moving into other regions, and jihadist elements have also carried out attacks in rural Kwara.
The arrest of the miners represents a significant development in the case, though authorities continue their search for the abducted ruler amid growing concerns about the targeting of traditional leaders in Nigeria's ongoing security challenges.