No fewer than 30 traditional rulers across the southern parts of Kwara State have fled their palaces following a surge in kidnappings, killings, and violent attacks in their communities.
Findings indicate that the affected monarchs have taken refuge in safer urban centres, including Ilorin, Osogbo, Offa, and Lagos, leaving behind a growing leadership vacuum in their domains.
Communities affected by the development include Omugo, Afin, Oreke, Oreke Oke-Igbo, Olohuntele, Alabe, Ganmu Ailehri, Ologanmo, and Igbo Agbon, among others, where repeated attacks by armed groups have forced both residents and traditional leaders to flee.
Residents say the absence of the monarchs has weakened coordination and response to the crisis, as many now only return briefly for official engagements before leaving again due to security concerns.
A resident of Omugo community, Wale Olasunkanmi, said the situation worsened after a March 22, 2026 attack in which gunmen stormed a church and abducted several people, triggering mass displacement.
Similarly, Oreke and Oreke Oke-Igbo communities have remained largely deserted since June 2025 following repeated attacks, including an incident at a mining site where two police officers were killed, further escalating fears.
The crisis has also affected individual monarchs. The Oniwo of Afin, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, has yet to return to his domain after he and his son were abducted in December 2025. Though both regained freedom after weeks in captivity, sources said the monarch is still undergoing medical treatment due to the trauma.
In another incident, gunmen recently abducted the monarch of Olayinka community in Ifelodun Local Government Area, Oba Salman Olátúnjí Aweda, alongside his wife and another resident, during a night attack on his palace. Security operatives later arrested dozens of suspected illegal miners in connection with the incident, while sources said the attackers demanded hundreds of millions of naira as ransom.
The wave of violence has left devastating consequences across the affected areas, with farms abandoned, schools shut and markets deserted as residents relocate to safer locations.
Observers note a disturbing pattern of attacks on traditional rulers in the region. In recent years, several monarchs have been killed or abducted, with ransom demands often running into tens or hundreds of millions of naira.
Local leaders and stakeholders have described the situation as alarming, warning that entire communities are being emptied. They say the crisis has severely disrupted agriculture and worsened food insecurity, as farmers can no longer access their lands.
Calls have intensified for urgent intervention by security agencies and government authorities, as well as improved support for local vigilante groups who say they are outgunned by criminal elements operating in the forests.
Security experts warn that the targeting of traditional rulers signals a deeper breakdown of authority structures, raising concerns about the long-term stability of affected communities if the situation is not swiftly addressed.
