By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Nigeria: Kidnappers Demand ₦400 Million, Food and Drinks to Free 22 Captives in Kwara South
Nigeria’s growing insecurity has once again come to the fore as armed bandits tighten their grip on rural communities in Kwara South, holding at least 22 residents hostage and demanding a ransom of ₦400 million, alongside supplies of food and assorted drinks.
The kidnappings, which have spread fear across several villages, were carried out in remote settlements with little or no security presence.
Communities affected include Adanla, Isapa, Isanlu-Isin, Afin and Owa-Onire, areas surrounded by dense forests and difficult terrain that make them vulnerable to criminal gangs.
Local sources said the bandits operate freely from forest hideouts, launching coordinated attacks on villages at night before retreating into the bush.
In Afin alone, nine people are reportedly in captivity, including the community’s traditional ruler, Oba Simeon Olanipekun, and his son.
Another nine villagers were abducted in Isapa, while four others were taken from Isanlu-Isin and Owa-Onire.
Residents say the criminals initially occupied forest zones around Okeode and Babanla Eruku but later shifted to softer targets where there are no police posts or military checkpoints.
Confirming the situation, the traditional ruler of Owa-Onire, Oba AbdulRahman Fabiyi, who was himself kidnapped in 2024, said communities are being forced to negotiate directly with their captors.
“We have paid money before to secure the release of our people. Now they are asking for ₦400 million and additional supplies. Our communities are under siege,” the monarch said.
Oba Olanipekun, speaking after his own release, described the forest camps as well-organised criminal enclaves with multiple escape routes.
“The forests are vast and the bandits know every path. Anyone who attempts to escape is threatened. That is why security operations often come back without results,” he said.
Security observers in the area blame the crisis on the difficult terrain, porous borders and alleged informants who leak information to the criminals.
Zubair Olaitan, Coordinator of the Joint Security Watch for Kwara South, said better cooperation between communities and security agencies is urgently needed.
“The bush and local informants give these bandits advantage. There must be better intelligence sharing and more security posts in these villages,” he said.
The Kwara State Government says it has deployed forest rangers and joint security patrols to track the criminals, while several raids have reportedly led to arrests of arms suppliers and logistics networks.
However, residents insist that more boots on the ground are needed to prevent further attacks and end what they describe as a reign of terror across Kwara South.
As families struggle to raise ransom demands that far exceed their means, many are calling on both the state and federal governments to act decisively before more communities fall victim to the growing wave of abductions in Nigeria’s rural heartlands.
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