Fear gripped residents of Okoloke community in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State on Thursday following the abduction of a traditional ruler, Oba J.D. Ogunyanda Ilufemiloye, the Obalohun of Okoloke.
The monarch was kidnapped around midnight when armed assailants stormed his palace, firing gunshots sporadically before whisking him away to an unknown destination.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Yagba West Local Government, Hon. Tosin Olokun, described the abduction as “a direct affront to our cultural values and peaceful coexistence,” adding that the attack on a revered traditional institution was both unacceptable and condemnable.
“We strongly condemn this reprehensible act,” Olokun said in a statement issued Thursday. “Security agencies, working in collaboration with local hunters, have launched a coordinated operation to locate and rescue His Royal Highness.”
According to him, surveillance has been intensified in key areas, particularly within the Okoloke-Isanlu Esa–Okunran axis where the terrain has often been exploited by criminal elements crossing over from nearby forests in Kwara State.
Olokun appealed for calm, urging residents to avoid retaliatory attacks and to instead support security operations by providing useful information.
“It is widely known that many of the criminals disturbing our peace are not residents of Yagba West. They exploit our porous borders and hide in forested areas like Babanla, Ndanaku, and Babasango,” he said.
He reassured the people of the government’s commitment to restoring peace and ensuring the safe return of the abducted monarch.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of His Royal Highness. By God’s grace and through the tireless efforts of our security operatives, we are hopeful that he will return safely and unharmed,” Olokun added.
