Kwara Royals Back Home: Oba Simeon Olanipekun Freed After Weeks in Kidnap Ordeal
Oba Simeon Olanipekun, the Oniwo of Afin in Kwara State, has been freed after weeks in captivity following his abduction by suspected terrorists in Ifelodun Local Government Area. His release comes after a ransom payment, though the exact sum remains undisclosed, SaharaReporters reports.
The traditional ruler was kidnapped alongside his son, Olaolu Olanipekun, a serving NYSC member, during a violent raid on the palace in Aafin Ile-Ere on December 31, 2025. The assailants reportedly broke down doors and fired shots, injuring the Olori, Queen Felicia Olaonipekun, who sustained a gunshot wound to her arm but narrowly escaped abduction.
Olaolu had been released earlier after a N20 million ransom was paid, but Oba Olanipekun and other victims remained in the kidnappers’ custody for several days. Reports say the kidnappers later demanded an additional N15 million to release the remaining captives.
Security sources revealed that the freed NYSC member was first dropped at a herders’ settlement in Oreke before being conveyed to a nearby military base, where he was reunited with his family and received medical attention for physical exhaustion and psychological trauma.
Eyewitnesses described the night of the attack as chaotic. “I noticed some strange movements outside around 8:00pm and alerted those inside. We locked doors and switched off lights, but they started shooting and forced their way in,” one palace source recounted.
The abduction left the community in shock, highlighting the growing insecurity in Kwara South communities. At least 10 family members and visitors were inside the palace during the raid, and the local vigilante unit, with just two members on duty, was powerless against the heavily armed attackers.
Oba Olanipekun’s safe return marks a relief for the Afin community, though questions remain over the persistent threat of kidnappings and the safety of traditional rulers in the region.
SOURCE : NaijaRush Assignment Desk
