Kwara Traditional Ruler and Six Others Escape from Kidnappers After Daring Vigilante Raid

Kwara State was thrown into tension and relief overnight as the traditional ruler of Bayagan in Ifelodun Local Government Area, Alhaji Kamilu Salami, popularly known as the Ojibara, miraculously escaped from the clutches of suspected kidnappers following a dramatic midnight raid carried out by local vigilantes in the deep forest. The escape, which is already spreading rapidly across social media platforms and Google Trends, comes amid rising concerns over insecurity, banditry, and rural kidnappings in northern Nigeria.

Residents say the monarch, along with six other abducted villagers from a neighboring community, had been held hostage for days inside a thick forest reported to be under the control of a violent kidnapping syndicate. Tension reached its peak when community members, angered by repeated ransom demands, alerted vigilante commanders who mobilized for what insiders described as one of the most coordinated local rescue attempts in the state this year. According to reliable sources within Bayagan, the vigilante team moved in quietly under the cover of darkness, navigating the forest paths the kidnappers often use as transit routes. When the kidnappers eventually realized they were being tailed, sporadic gunshots erupted, sending echoes through the forest as terrified villagers in nearby settlements stayed awake praying for their monarch.

It was during this chaotic exchange that the Ojibara and the six other captives reportedly seized a narrow window to flee from their captors. A community source revealed that the hostages had been closely guarded and chained in an open camp area, but the confusion created by the vigilante gunfire forced some of the bandits to abandon their positions. The captives, sensing their chance for freedom, ran blindly through the forest, guided only by the shouts of vigilante members who were calling out for survivors.

By dawn, the traditional ruler and the rescued victims emerged exhausted, barefoot, and shaken, but alive. Community elders immediately rushed them to a nearby clinic for medical checks while the monarch’s family and subjects gathered, some in tears, some singing praises, overwhelmed with relief. Videos capturing the emotional reunion began circulating online within minutes, contributing to increasing search interest around terms such as “Kwara Kidnapping,” “Ojibara Rescue,” “Bandits in North-Central Nigeria,” and “Vigilante Heroics.”

Security analysts say the successful rescue shows both the resilience and desperation of rural communities who have long complained that bandits operate freely due to insufficient patrol presence around forested borders. For many locals, vigilante groups have become the first line of defense, a trend that continues to spark national debate on whether Nigeria is relying too heavily on self-help security structures instead of coordinated government action. As one resident of Ifelodun bluntly stated while addressing reporters, “If the vigilantes didn’t go, we would be planning a funeral right now. Government needs to understand that we are living in fear every single day.”

Police sources in Kwara have confirmed the rescue but declined to give full details until investigations are completed. However, a senior officer disclosed that security teams have been deployed to comb the forest in hopes of tracking down the fleeing kidnappers. The officer added that the vigilantes’ bravery prevented what could have become another national tragedy at a time when the country is still battling rising reports of abductions, school kidnappings, and rural attacks.

As the Ojibara recovers and the community begins to breathe again, many Nigerians are turning the incident into a broader conversation on the state of security under the current administration. Social media users are already demanding stronger federal intervention, trending questions like “When will banditry end?” and “Are communities now defending themselves alone?”—a sentiment that mirrors widespread frustration nationwide.

For now, Bayagan is celebrating a miracle, grateful that a monarch who could easily have become another statistic of Nigeria’s insecurity has returned home alive. But beneath the joy lies a chilling reminder that the forest is still there, the kidnappers are still armed, and the next attack might only be a matter of time.