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Panic has gripped Ile-Ere community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State following the abduction of the traditional ruler, HRH Oba Simeon Olaonipekun**, and one of his sons, Olaolu, a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member.
The monarch and his son were kidnapped on Wednesday evening after armed men attacked the royal palace in what residents described as a well-coordinated assault. The incident has heightened fears over worsening insecurity in rural communities across the state.
The attack was reported by Vanguard.
According to information gathered, about eight gunmen stormed the palace around **8:30 p.m., firing shots into the air to scare residents before forcing their way into the inner chambers of the palace. A family source who witnessed the incident said the attackers appeared to have deliberately targeted the monarch.
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“I noticed strange movements outside around 8:00 p.m. and alerted those inside. We started locking doors and switching off lights, but once they realised this, they began shooting,” the source said.
The source explained that the assailants broke into the palace and demanded to see the Kabiyesi.
“They gained entrance and asked for the Kabiyesi, and he came out. They were also asking for his wife, Felicia Olaonipekun, but she had already been hit by a bullet in the arm,” he added.
Olaolu, the monarch’s son who is currently undergoing his NYSC programme, was also abducted after emerging from his hiding place.
“There were about 10 of us in the palace at the time. Everyone was hiding during the attack. After they left, we rushed the Olori to the hospital that same night,” the source disclosed.
It was further revealed that the community’s vigilante group was unable to repel the attackers due to limited manpower. Only two vigilantes were reportedly on duty and were overwhelmed by the attackers’ superior firepower.
“The leader of the attackers spoke very good English, and they came straight to the palace. They did not attack any other place in the town,” the source noted.
The incident was reported to several police formations, including Owu-Isin and Ijara-Isin divisions, as well as local security networks. As of press time, there was no confirmed contact with the abductors. Community members have appealed to the Kwara State Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the safe release of the monarch and his son.
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