Abducted Kwara Monarch Dies in Captivity Despite N18m Ransom Payment

KWARA STATE, Nigeria – The traditional ruler of Olayinka community in Ifelodun Local Government Area, Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda, has been confirmed dead after spending two months in the hands of kidnappers, plunging his community into mourning. The monarch was abducted from his palace on April 17, 2026, by heavily armed men who stormed the residence, and despite the payment of a substantial ransom and other demands, he was not released alive. The tragic confirmation came via a voice message from a member of a community committee that had been involved in ongoing efforts to secure his freedom. In the audio, the committee member informed residents that multiple interventions by family members, community leaders, clerics and concerned stakeholders had failed to bring the monarch home alive, leaving the community in a state of profound grief and shock.

The ordeal began on the evening of April 17, 2026, when about ten heavily armed men forced their way into the monarch’s palace in the Olayinka community. According to reports, the gunmen broke down the entrance door and demanded money that a group of miners who had visited the king earlier that day had given him. While the monarch reportedly handed over the cash, he was still abducted alongside his brother. The abductors, believed to be part of criminal gangs known locally as bandits, took the traditional ruler into the forest but abandoned his brother, who became exhausted during the forced trek. The brother was reportedly tied to a tree while the kidnappers continued into the forest with the monarch, leaving the community in a state of panic and desperation.

Following the abduction, the Kwara State Police Command swung into action, deploying operational resources to track the suspects. The operation led to the arrest of 42 suspected illegal miners in the community. However, authorities noted that it was yet to be established whether any of the arrested miners were directly involved in the abduction, as investigations continued to unfold. The police commissioner later explained that the attackers had specifically demanded the money that miners had given the monarch earlier that day, suggesting a possible connection between the illegal mining activities and the abduction.

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In the weeks that followed, the abductors opened negotiations with community representatives, demanding a hefty ransom for the monarch’s release. The conditions for his freedom included N21 million in cash, two brand-new motorcycles, and a jerrycan of petrol. Desperate to bring their king home, the community mobilized to meet these demands, paying a huge sum of money, reportedly about N18 million of the N21 million demanded, along with the motorcycles and fuel. Despite the community’s efforts and the payment of the ransom, the kidnappers failed to release the monarch. According to reports, when community members sought to speak with their king, the abductors demanded additional money, raising suspicions that he had already died in their den. A victim who was recently released by the same group of kidnappers initially informed the community about the monarch’s death and urged them to stop further extortion attempts by the bandits.

The news has thrown the Olayinka community into a state of profound grief and shock. The committee member who announced the death described it as the will of God and urged residents to accept the outcome with faith. He said, “Allah in His mercy said in the Holy Qur’an that we all human beings on earth belong to Him, and to Him we shall return, whether when we expect it or when we do not expect it.” He continued, “This is to inform the Olayinka community, both male and female, young and old, that our beloved father, His Royal Highness Alhaji Salman Olatunji, the monarch of Olayinka, has answered the call of his Creator. The will of God has come to pass on him.” The speaker explained that earlier reports and speculations about the monarch’s condition had now been confirmed, noting that extensive rescue efforts did not yield the desired result. “All the rumours everyone has been hearing from different angles, and all the efforts that have been made by family members, residents, committees and Islamic clerics, have now led to this moment,” he said. He called on residents of the community to accept the loss with faith, stressing that both Muslims and Christians should see it as a divine decree. “Oh Allah, we accept our fate. All the indigenes of Olayinka, both Muslims and Christians, should please accept the will of God,” he added.

The committee member disclosed that plans had been concluded for Islamic funeral prayers, despite the fact that the monarch’s remains had not yet been recovered. “As required by Islamic rites, all members of the Olayinka Muslim community in Lagos are requested to gather by 8 a.m. to perform prayers and Janazah for him,” he said. “Although we have not been able to locate his body, Islam teaches that funeral rites can still be performed even when the deceased is not physically present,” the source added, providing some measure of spiritual closure for the grieving community.

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Initial reactions from authorities were marked by caution and uncertainty. The Kwara State Police Command initially expressed doubt over the reports, with the Commissioner of Police describing the information as unverified. Similarly, the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Hadji Femi Yusuf, said he had not received any official briefing on the matter. However, the confirmation from the traditional council leadership has since put the tragic news beyond doubt. The Secretary of the Ifelodun Traditional Council, Elder Chief Omisola Amos Olayinka, confirmed the monarch’s death, stating that the community had initially dismissed reports as a rumour but later received internal confirmation. “We paid a huge sum of money including motorcycles and fuel as demanded by them yet the man still died in their custody. We are in a mourning mood now,” he lamented. The monarch had reportedly just been given a first-class status, and the ceremony to mark it had not yet been held before his untimely death, adding another layer of tragedy to the loss.

The death of Oba Aweda has not only thrown the Olayinka community into mourning but has also renewed urgent concerns over rising cases of kidnapping and insecurity across parts of the country. For years, members of criminal gangs known locally as bandits have carried out killings and kidnappings for ransom, mainly targeting those in the northwest, but they have been moving to other parts of the country more recently. Parts of Kwara have seen a rise in attacks on rural communities, with armed groups increasingly targeting highways, farms and traditional leaders. The monarch’s death serves as a stark reminder of the growing wave of insecurity in Kwara State and the urgent need for authorities to address the scourge of kidnapping and banditry that continues to claim innocent lives.

Abducted Kwara Monarch Dies in Captivity Despite N18m Ransom Payment

Drugged, Beaten, Forced to Sleep with 60 Men Daily: Teenage Girl’s Harrowing Escape from Lagos Traffickers

LAGOS, Nigeria – A 16-year-old girl who escaped while bleeding from multiple injuries has led the Lagos State Police Command to uncover a child trafficking and forced prostitution ring operating inside a four-storey building disguised as a beverage warehouse in Balogun Market, Lagos Island. The teenager, identified as Chidinma (surname withheld), was allegedly lured from Delta State with the promise of a N100,000 monthly catering job, only to be forced into sex work and made to sleep with up to 30 men daily—sometimes as many as 60 in a single day—over a period of four months. Police operatives have so far rescued 12 underage girls aged between 13 and 16 from the clandestine brothel, arrested two suspects, and are currently profiling the victims while investigations continue.

The story of Chidinma’s descent into sexual slavery began with a promise that quickly became a nightmare. Chidinma, originally from Imo State, had been learning baking in Asaba, Delta State, when she met 28-year-old Princess Andrew, who presented herself as a benefactor. According to the teenager, Andrew told her she had secured a job for her where she would earn N100,000 monthly and asked her to come along with a friend. Chidinma, who had relocated to Delta after losing a baby through a Caesarean section, said Andrew was fully aware of her medical history. “She knew I had a baby and lost it. She was the one who met me in Asaba and told me to come with my friend to Lagos, that she had a job for us,” Chidinma told investigators. But upon arrival at a building inside Balogun Market, the reality of the situation became immediately clear. “She never told me the work I was coming to do. She only said, ‘You are coming to serve in the office,'” Chidinma said. “Upon my arrival, my madam removed my clothes and left me only with pants. There were other young ladies there. She told us to stand by the door and dragged men inside.”

When Chidinma resisted the horrific situation she had been thrust into, she alleged that Andrew gave her a blue-coloured drug—believed to be the sedative Rohypnol—that left her disoriented and unable to resist. “She gave me five tablets and said they would make me act differently. That’s how I started dragging men, and I slept with more than 20 that night,” she told police. What followed was a daily reality of relentless exploitation. Her work hours began at 4:00 AM and continued until 5:00 PM without food or rest, and she was forced to sleep with between 10 and 30 men daily, sometimes up to 60 men. Men paid between N3,000 and N10,000 per session, while overnight rates ranged from N20,000 to N30,000. Yet Chidinma received only N1,000 to N1,500 daily for food, while her trafficker kept the rest. A fellow rescued victim corroborated the scale of the exploitation, stating, “I can say that I have slept with over 200 men in one month.”

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The physical abuse Chidinma endured was as savage as the sexual exploitation. She alleged she was subjected to savage beatings whenever she attempted to insist on safe sex practices. “Any time I told the men to use protection and they refused, they would report me to my madam. She would drag me into a room and beat me with an iron rod until I bled,” she said. Her trafficker was aware of her medical vulnerability, having known about her Caesarean section, yet she exploited that knowledge cruelly. “She punched me severely in the stomach, knowing fully well that I had an operation,” Chidinma recounted. One attack was so severe that it left her unable to see for an entire week. “There was a time she punched my eye. For one week, I could not see with this eye,” she said, pointing to her left eye.

Chidinma’s ordeal reached a breaking point when she refused further clients due to excruciating pain in her private parts. “That day, a man lodged me and another girl. I escaped from there because my madam threatened me with a knife because I complained of pains in my private part,” she recounted. When she returned late from an overnight assignment, Andrew allegedly broke a bottle and attacked her with it, then beat her with a rod. “I was bleeding from my eyes and my entire body,” she said. Despite her injuries, she managed to flee the brothel and boarded a bus to Costain, the only area she knew. A compassionate commuter observed her critical condition and took her to the Bode Thomas Police Station in Surulere. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Arit Abang, immediately ensured she received medical treatment at a hospital before taking her statement, setting in motion the police operation that would follow.

Acting on information provided by Chidinma, the Commissioner of Police for Lagos State, Tijani Fatai, personally led a team of detectives and journalists to the location in Balogun Market. Traders at the Adire line section of the market were stunned to learn that a building they knew as a beverage warehouse housed clandestine brothels on two of its floors. “The building, tucked beside an uncompleted structure in the densely populated market, housed brothels on two floors, where older women rented rooms and brought in teenagers whom they allegedly forced to sleep with multiple men daily,” reported The Nation Newspaper following the raid. CP Tijani confirmed that the syndicate specifically targeted vulnerable minors between the ages of 13 and 15, luring them from various states with promises of legitimate employment. “The girl informed us that there were about 30 girls involved, but we currently have 12 in our custody,” the CP said. “We are still profiling them and verifying their identities, ages and how long they had been held there,” he added.

The prime suspect, Princess Andrew, 28, who was arrested on June 12, 2026, has vehemently denied the charges. “I am not anybody’s madam. I work on my own as a sex-worker since February. Nobody works for me. I merely assisted the young woman by connecting her with accommodation after she arrived from Delta State,” Andrew claimed. She disputed Chidinma’s age, alleging the teenager was 21 years old, not 16, and also admitted to beating the teenager. “She lied about her age. She will be 21 this year. I knew her back in Delta State when she was pregnant. She collected my money and I used my cane to wipe her,” Andrew stated. She also claimed she paid a daily rent of N10,000 for her room and earned between N30,000 and N50,000 daily from her own sex work. Police investigations are ongoing, and authorities have confirmed that a full forensic investigation is underway to uncover the full extent of the syndicate’s operations.

CP Tijani Fatai reaffirmed the command’s commitment to dismantling human trafficking and child exploitation networks in the state, stating, “We will continue our investigation, which will lead to the prosecution of the principal suspect and other members of the syndicate.” He noted that the criminal network appeared to have been operating for a long time and urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities. All rescued victims are currently in protective custody, with medical checkups and age verification being conducted. Despite the trauma she has endured, Chidinma’s focus remains on rebuilding her life. “I am tired. I want to go back to my catering work. I am almost done with it,” she said, expressing a quiet hope that stands in stark contrast to the nightmare she has survived.

Drugged, Beaten, Forced to Sleep with 60 Men Daily: Teenage Girl’s Harrowing Escape from Lagos Traffickers

Abdulsalami Opens Up on Secret Detention of MKO Abiola

Nearly three decades after the death of Chief MKO Abiola, former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), has revealed that neither he nor the late Chief of General Staff, Gen. Oladipo Diya, knew where the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election was being held during the regime of late military ruler Gen. Sani Abacha.

Abdulsalami made the disclosure in his autobiography, Call of Duty: An Autobiography of Gen. Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar, launched in Abuja during events marking his 84th birthday.

According to the former Head of State, MKO Abiola’s detention was shrouded in secrecy, with the businessman and politician moved between different detention facilities throughout the four years he spent in custody.

“Before I became Head of State, I didn’t know where Abiola was being detained. Even General Diya, who was second-in-command to Abacha, had no idea where Abiola was being held. They kept moving him from one detention centre to another,” Abdulsalami wrote.

The revelation highlights the extent of secrecy within the Abacha administration and suggests that even senior members of the military government were excluded from critical decisions concerning Abiola’s detention.

Abiola, widely believed to have won the June 12, 1993 presidential election, was arrested in 1994 after declaring himself president following the annulment of the election by former military ruler Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. The election, regarded by many observers as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll, triggered a prolonged political crisis that led to nationwide protests and international condemnation after its annulment.

Following Babangida’s exit from power in August 1993, an Interim National Government headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan was established. However, the administration lasted only three months before it was overthrown by Abacha. Abiola remained in detention throughout Abacha’s rule until the military leader’s sudden death on June 8, 1998.

In the memoir, Abdulsalami disclosed that he quietly worked behind the scenes to secure Abiola’s freedom despite the political risks involved. He said that shortly after Abiola’s arrest, he initiated contacts with leaders of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) in search of a political solution to the crisis created by the annulled election.

“At this point, I need to recount that after Abiola was arrested in 1994, I had, against the grain, made efforts to get him released at the risk of being deemed disloyal by Abacha,” he stated.

According to Abdulsalami, these efforts remained largely unknown to the public because any perceived support for Abiola could have been interpreted as opposition to the Abacha regime.

The former military leader also revealed that Abiola’s family was denied access to him for most of his detention. He noted that only Abiola’s personal physician, Dr. Ore Falomo, was permitted to see him regularly, underscoring the restrictive conditions under which the politician was held.

“His family never saw him. It was only his personal physician, Dr Ore Falomo, who had access to him,” Abdulsalami recalled.

He said one of his first actions after becoming Head of State following Abacha’s death was to ensure that Abiola’s family could finally visit him. According to him, the decision was resisted by some members of his administration who opposed changing the policy surrounding Abiola’s detention.

“When I became Head of State, I insisted that his family must be granted access to him, despite strong opposition from some members of my government,” he said.

Abdulsalami used the memoir to challenge the perception that becoming Head of State immediately gave him complete control of government and military structures. He explained that powerful interests remained embedded within the system and that he had to carefully navigate competing factions while consolidating authority.

“What many people outside government did not know was that even though I was now in power, there were still different interests in the military and in government. I was new in the office and needed to consolidate my hold on the system. I needed to be careful and calculated with my actions,” he wrote.

He further stated that despite his access to Abacha during his years in office, he was never part of the inner circle responsible for the regime’s most sensitive political and security decisions.

“Despite my access to Abacha when he was in power, I was still effectively an outsider in his government. Becoming Head of State did not mean I could dissolve the power centres or displace entrenched interests overnight,” he added.

Abdulsalami revealed that arrangements had been made for members of Abiola’s family to meet him shortly before his anticipated release. According to him, one group of relatives met Abiola on July 6, 1998, while another group was scheduled to visit him the following day.

However, the second meeting never took place.

“One group saw him on the first day, July 6, 1998. The other group was to see him the next day, July 7. However, that second meeting never took place. That was not to be,” he wrote.

Abiola died on July 7, 1998, barely a month after Abacha’s death, shocking Nigerians and ending hopes that he would eventually assume the presidency many believed he had won.

Abdulsalami has also maintained that Abiola was not poisoned, citing findings from an international autopsy involving Nigerian, American, British and Canadian pathologists, which concluded that the politician died from natural causes linked to existing health conditions.

The latest revelations provide fresh insight into the internal workings of the Abacha regime and the circumstances surrounding one of the most significant episodes in Nigeria’s democratic history.

Abdulsalami Opens Up on Secret Detention of MKO Abiola