Kwara Monarch Rescued After Kidnappers Demand ₦30 Million Ransom
Oba Moses Oyinloye Omotayo, a Kwara State monarch, was abducted on August 22, 2026, with kidnappers demanding a N30 million ransom. A decisive security operation involving police, military, and vigilantes led to the successful rescue of the monarch and two other victims, with one kidnapper neutralized. Authorities are now intensifying efforts to apprehend the remaining gang members.
Oba Moses Oyinloye Omotayo, the Onigbesi of Onigbesi Community in Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State, has been rescued after being abducted from his palace on August 22, 2026.
The kidnappers reportedly demanded a ₦30 million ransom for his release, with the demand disclosed four days later by the monarch’s younger brother and Nollywood filmmaker, Olaide Olabanji. The Kwara State Police Command, working with military personnel and local vigilantes, launched an intelligence-led operation after receiving information about a gunshot injury involving a vigilante in the Elerin/Ijomu-Oro axis.
The security team moved to the area and came under fire from the suspected kidnappers, triggering an exchange of gunfire in which one alleged member of the gang was neutralised. The remaining suspects reportedly fled into the surrounding terrain as security personnel pursued them, eventually rescuing the monarch alongside Maryam Abubakar and Aisha Ilyasu, who had also been abducted. The three victims were taken to a hospital for medical attention and were reported to be safe.
Police spokesperson SP Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi credited the successful rescue to intelligence-led policing, inter-agency cooperation and rapid operational response. Commissioner of Police Ojo Adekimi commended the security personnel and their partners while directing intensified efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
The command has also sustained operations around identified security flashpoints and appealed to residents to provide timely and credible information to help prevent further kidnappings and bring the remaining suspects to justice.