Ilorin

Gunmen on Wednesday night abducted a traditional ruler in Kwara State, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, the Aniwo I of Aafin community, and his son, Olaolu, a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), during a daring attack on the royal palace.

The abduction occurred at about 8pm on New Year’s Eve, when about eight heavily armed men stormed the palace, firing sporadically and breaking down doors to gain access.

During the attack, the monarch’s wife, Olori Felicia Olaonipekun, was shot in the arm. She was immediately rushed to a hospital in the area, where she is currently receiving medical attention.

A palace source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers appeared to have come with a specific mission, noting that they went straight to the palace without attacking any other house in the community.

“I noticed suspicious movements outside around 8pm and quickly alerted those inside. We started locking doors and switching off the lights, but once they realised this, they began shooting and forced their way in,” the source said.

According to the eyewitness, the gunmen demanded to see the monarch and his wife. While the Olori had already sustained a gunshot injury, the monarch later came out and was seized. The attackers later discovered his son, who had been hiding in another part of the palace, and abducted him as well.

It was gathered that at least 10 family members and visitors were inside the palace at the time, having gathered for the New Year festivities.

The community’s vigilante group, with only two operatives on night duty, was reportedly unable to confront the attackers due to their superior firepower.

“The vigilantes could not do much because they were only two on duty. The gunmen came directly to the palace and left without resistance,” the source added.

As of the time of filing this report, the Kwara State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident. Meanwhile, residents of Aafin community have appealed to the state government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the abducted monarch and his son.