Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, the Aniwo 1 of Aafin village, Ile-Ire District, Ifelodun Local Government Area, Kwara State, and one of his sons, Olaolu, who is presently observing his National Youth Service Corps, are said to have been abducted during a violent attack on the palace.
According to sources, the incident happened late on Wednesday night, New Year’s Eve, when a group of approximately eight shooters allegedly invaded the palace at around 8 p.m., firing intermittently and demanding to meet the monarch and his wife.
A family source who was inside the palace at the time of the incident confirmed the incident over the phone on Thursday that when the attackers started shooting, pandemonium broke out.
“Around 8pm, I noticed some strange movements outside and I immediately alerted those inside. We started locking all the doors and switching off inner lights, but when they realised what we were doing, they began shooting sporadically,” the source said.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the gunmen forced their way into the palace by breaking down the door with guns and demanded to see the Oba.
“They are about eight in number because I saw them from where I was hiding. They used their guns to break down the door, gained entrance and requested for the Kabiesi, and he came out.
“They were asking for his wife too, but she has been hit with a bullet in the arm, during their attempt to gain entrance” the source said.
He added that the abductors also seized one of the monarch’s sons who came out from hiding with the queen).
The assailants also seized one of the monarch’s sons who came out from hiding with the Olori (queen), the source added.
“We were about 10 in the palace around that time to come spend the holiday with Kabiesi, so everyone was hiding during the incident. One of the sons who was with the Olori came out to avoid casualties as they were shooting and breaking down doors,” he said.
He added that the leader of the attackers spoke very good English and appeared to be targeting the monarch and his wife specifically, however the Kwara local vigilantes could not stop them.
“The leader of the kidnappers spoke good English and the only thing they were asking is the Kabiesi and when he came out, they were asking for his wife too.
“After they left, we quickly took the Olori to the hospital yesterday night,” the source said.
The claimed kidnapping coincides with Kwara State’s unsettling increase in insecurity, especially in Ifelodun and other rural areas.
In late November, bandits abducted the Ojibara of Bayagan-Ile, Alhaji Kamilu Salami, from his farm in the same local government area, sparking fear and condemnation across the state.
