Fresh hope has returned to Bayagan community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State as the abducted traditional ruler, Ojibara of Bayagan, Alhaji Kamilu Salami, and six others have reportedly escaped from their captors.
According to credible community sources, the monarch and the other abductees broke free after a fierce confrontation between local vigilantes and the bandits inside the forest.
One of the sources said the vigilante team stormed the bandits’ camp deep in the Eku Idaji axis, near Igbaja, where they engaged the criminals in an intense gun battle.
He added that although the monarch and the six escapees had not yet returned to the community, they had already contacted residents to confirm their safety.
Before their escape, the bandits had demanded N150 million as ransom for the monarch’s release. They reportedly contacted the community in the early hours of Sunday to insist on payment and even allowed the Ojibara to speak to his people as proof of life.
During the conversation, the traditional ruler lamented his ordeal and appealed for urgent intervention. He also revealed that several residents of a neighbouring community were abducted alongside him.
Bayagan, a large settlement in Ifelodun LGA, was thrown into panic on Saturday after armed bandits invaded the monarch’s farm and whisked him away at gunpoint.
