The abducted monarch, Ojibara of Bayagan in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara State, Alh Kamilu Salami, has escaped from bandits.
The traditional ruler, who was kidnapped on Saturday morning, November 29, while working on his farm, escaped alongside six others after vigilante operatives launched a fierce attack on the kidnappers deep inside the forest.
Sources within the community say the vigilante team traced the abductors to the Eku Idaji area, close to Igbaja, where they engaged the bandits in a heavy gun battle. The pressure reportedly forced the kidnappers to abandon their captives, allowing the district head and the six others to flee.
Although they have not yet physically returned to Bayagan, the Ojibara and the escapees have contacted members of the community, confirming the encounter and assuring them of their safety.
Alhaji Salami’s abduction had thrown Bayagan into fear earlier in the day. He was seized around 9:30 a.m. on his riverside farmland. Fellow farmers raised the alarm after spotting his motorcycle abandoned on the premises.
A farmer from a neighbouring village, who witnessed the incident while hiding in a guinea corn farm, later revealed that the kidnappers forced the district head onto a motorcycle and sped off into the bush.
The kidnappers had demanded for N150 million ransom.
Community members say they are now eagerly awaiting the safe arrival of their district head, while security operatives and vigilante groups continue combing the forest to track down the fleeing kidnappers.