Terrorists operating in Kwara South Senatorial District have demanded N400 million, food, and drinks to release 22 persons abducted from communities including Adanla, Isapa, Isanlu-Isin, and Owa-Onire.
Investigations revealed that the bandits, originally from Oke-Ode, Babanla, and Eruku—areas under federal military surveillance—have shifted operations to less-secured communities.
Among those still held are nine victims abducted in December 2025, including Oba Simeon Olanipekun, monarch of Afin in Ile Ere, and his son, Olaolu, a youth corps member. Two more victims from Owa-Onire, abducted in December, remain in captivity.
Oba AbdulRahman Fabiyi, Olowa of Owa-Onire, said efforts to secure the release of his people have been hampered by the absence of local security infrastructure.
He told journalists:“We have paid N2 million and negotiated the balance to N800,000, which will be delivered with food and drinks demanded by the bandits. But without a police presence, this cycle will continue.”
Oba Olanipekun recounted his own kidnapping experience, warning of the bandits’ familiarity with the dense forests and multiple escape routes, which security agencies have struggled to patrol effectively.
Coordinator of the Joint Security Watch for Kwara South, Zubair Olaitan, noted that the region’s geography—dense forests, hills, caves, and porous borders—combined with local complicity, has made operations against the terrorists difficult. He added:
“While recent security operations have neutralized some bandits and arrested suppliers of weapons and provisions, we face challenges in coordinating intelligence and effectively monitoring the terrain.”
In Adanla, nine persons kidnapped on Boxing Day 2025 remain captive after the terrorists demanded N300 million. Community leaders have been contacted multiple times by the abductors, who warned that no release would occur unless the ransom is paid.
Similarly, in Isapa, eleven people remain in captivity, with the terrorists reducing their initial ransom demand from N300 million to N35 million after negotiations. During a ransom delivery attempt, three community members were seized, highlighting the precarious situation local residents face.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that state authorities, in collaboration with federal security forces, have launched forest patrols and deployed additional security personnel, but community leaders insist that more proactive measures are needed to end the menace.
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