The Digest:
No fewer than 30 traditional rulers across Kwara South have fled their palaces following sustained waves of kidnappings, killings, and violent attacks. Affected monarchs are seeking refuge in Ilorin, Osogbo, Offa, and Lagos. Some have been away for months, others for nearly a year. The displacement has created a leadership vacuum in their communities. In one recent case, gunmen abducted a monarch and his wife, demanding N400 million ransom. Many communities have become ghost towns.
Key Points:
- A monarch was abducted alongside his corps member son on New Year's Eve.
- Ransoms paid have ranged between N40 million and N400 million.
- Farms have been abandoned, schools shut, markets rendered inactive.
- Over 28 communities in Ifelodun LGA have been deserted.
- Residents blame abandoned traditional protection methods and illegal mining.
Sources: Punch Newspaper, Daily Post
