Monarch of Bayagan-Ile Still in Captivity as Family Appeals for Government Intervention
The Ojibara of Bayagan-Ile, Alhaji Kamilu Salami, remains held by armed kidnappers more than a week after his abduction on November 29, 2025, with his family describing the ransom demanded as “unbearable.”
The royal family has accused the Kwara State Government and the Nigeria Police Force of inaction, saying no official efforts have been made to secure the monarch’s release.
Speaking to SaharaReporters on Monday, Alhaji Rafiu Ayinla Lawal, a senior member of the royal household, said the family has been left to shoulder the burden alone, selling personal properties and exhausting resources in a desperate attempt to meet the kidnappers’ demands.
“He has been able to communicate with us from captivity, sometimes every two or three days,” Lawal said. “He keeps pleading with us to raise the ransom so he can regain his freedom. The painful part is that the government has not made any effort. That is why we are appealing to them and to Nigerians for help. It is only the family struggling to meet this demand.”
Lawal added that during a recent call on Sunday, the monarch begged the family to expedite efforts to raise the money, describing his conditions in captivity as dire.
“The kidnappers handed the phone to Kabiyesi. He pleaded with us to complete the ransom because things are terrible where he is. Not once has the Kwara State Government called to check on us or make any attempt to secure his release,” Lawal said.
The family said the ransom far exceeds their financial capacity, forcing them to sell farmlands, household items, and other personal assets.
“We cannot remain idle. We have been running around, trying to raise money, but the burden is too heavy for us to handle alone. That is why we are appealing to Nigerians to come to our rescue, as the government and police have abandoned us,” Lawal lamented.
The family is now making a public plea to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Kwara State Government, and federal security agencies for urgent intervention before the situation worsens.
The monarch’s abduction has reignited concerns over the rising insecurity in rural parts of Kwara State, where armed groups increasingly target communities, leaving residents in fear and confusion.
