A traditional ruler in Kwara State has been confirmed dead after spending weeks in captivity with his abductors, despite the payment of a ₦21 million ransom by his community.

The monarch, Oba Salman Aweda, who ruled Olayinka town in Ifelodun Local Government Area, was seized from his palace about a month ago by gunmen. Witnesses said the attackers stormed the palace in the early hours and took the king, his wife, and one other resident away.

Negotiations with the kidnappers began shortly after the abduction. Community members, family, and associates pooled resources and eventually delivered ₦21 million in cash, two motorcycles, and a jerrycan of petrol as demanded by the captors. The payment was made in hopes of securing the ruler’s release.

However, a resident who was recently freed by the same group in Sagbe, Kwara State, said the monarch had already died while being held captive. According to the freed captive, Oba Aweda did not survive the ordeal, even though the ransom was handed over.

The news of his death has thrown Olayinka into mourning. Residents who had been holding on to hope for his safe return are now grieving. Security agencies have not issued an official statement on the circumstances surrounding his death or on the status of the investigation.

The incident adds to a worrying pattern of attacks on traditional rulers in Kwara and neighboring states this year. Several monarchs have been targeted in their palaces, with some killed and others released after ransom payments.

Source: Sahara Reporters