Links to Islamic State of West Africa Suspected
By Onibiyo Segun
(Aafin, Ifelodun county, Kwara State) – “They wore black clothes, spoke foreign language mixed with Fulfulde, carried AK-47 rifles, and forced us deep into the forest,” Olaolu Olaonipekun, a Youth Corp Member and son of Oba Simeon Olaonipekun told TruthNigeria in a telephone interview after his release.
Suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP)–linked terrorists abducted Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, the traditional ruler of Aafin community in Kwara State, and his son, Olaolu Olaonipekun, a serving Youth Corp member during a late-night palace raid on December 31, 2025, highlighting the steady expansion of extremist-style kidnappings into Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
Palace Raid and Abduction
The attack occurred at about 8:00 p.m. when heavily armed men stormed the monarch’s palace in Aafin, a rural settlement in Ifelodun county. The attackers overpowered palace guards and local vigilantes before abducting the monarch, a Christian and member of the Anglican church Oba Simeon Olaonipekun and his son, Olaolu Olaonipekun, who is a serving Youth Corp member.
During the assault, the monarch’s wife, Queen Felicia Olaonipekun, was shot in the arm but was not abducted, according to national media reports. She was rushed to a medical facility and treated for gunshot wounds.
Location and Strategic Context
Aafin is located about 15 kilometers from Igbaja and roughly 40 kilometers from Oro, towns that serve as commercial and transit hubs in Kwara South, Northcentral Nigeria.
The surrounding forest corridors have increasingly become transit routes for armed groups operating across state boundaries.
Kwara State lies in Nigeria’s North-Central region, serving as a strategic bridge between the Middle Belt and the Southwest. It borders Niger State to the north, Kogi State to the east, Ekiti and Osun states to the south, Oyo State to the southwest, and shares an international boundary with the Republic of Benin.
Analysts say this geography has made the state vulnerable to infiltration by terror-linked criminal networks.
Ransom Paid, Son Released
Olaolu Olaonipekun was released on the morning of January 20, 2026, after abductors received ₦20 million (about $13,300) in ransom, according to national media reports. He was dropped at a herders’ settlement near Oreke in Ifelodun county, before being taken to a nearby security post and reunited with his family.
“They kept moving us from one forest camp to another,” Olaonipekun told TruthNigeria.
“They told me clearly my father would only be freed after more money was paid.”
He added: “They avoided highways, used motorcycles, and warned us repeatedly not to involve security agencies.”
Monarch Still in Captivity
As of this report, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun remains in captivity, with abductors allegedly demanding an additional ₦15 million (about $10,000) for his release, according to family sources cited by national media.
Although no group has formally claimed responsibility, security experts told TruthNigeria in a chat that the operation bears the operational hallmarks of ISWAP-linked cells increasingly relying on kidnapping for revenue.
“This was a coordinated ISWAP style operation. The forest routes, ransom structure, and discipline point to ISWAP-linked networks working through criminal partners”, Dr. Kabir Adamu, a Lagos-based security analyst told TruthNigeria while sharing his view via telephone.
“Terror groups now finance themselves largely through abductions. What happened in Aafin, Ifelodun county Kwara state fits that evolving model”, Colonel John Eze (rtd.), a security consultant based in Port Harcourt, told TruthNigeria.
Police and Government Response
The Kwara State Police Command, through its spokesperson Superintendent of Police Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the abduction and said joint security operations were ongoing to rescue the monarch and track the perpetrators.
The Kwara State Government announced in the deployment of additional mobile police units and intensified patrols across Ifelodun county and surrounding forest corridors, according to Channels TV.
Rising Abductions in Kwara
Kwara State has recorded a steady rise in kidnappings since mid-2024.
Security trackers estimate that more than 140 people were abducted across the state between July 2024 and June 2025, with rural communities disproportionately affected.
National Pattern
The Kwara palace raid mirrors a broader national trend. On January 18, 2026, TruthNigeria reported that armed groups abducted 166 worshippers from ECWA and Cherubim & Seraphim churches in Kajuru county, Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria during coordinated Sunday attacks.
State authorities denied the report of the abduction initially but reversed their position on Jan. 20, theCable reported.
Expert Warning
“The convergence of jihadist terror and ransom-driven crime is spreading into the Middle Belt of Nigeria. Without decisive intervention, traditional rulers and rural communities will remain prime targets. Economic activities will also suffer.” Dr. Fatima Bello, a conflict researcher based in Abuja, told TruthNigeria.
Onibiyo Segun reports on terrorism and conflicts for TruthNigeria.
