Police in western Nigeria have arrested 42 suspected illegal miners as part of an investigation into the abduction of a local monarch.
Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda, the ruler of the Olayinka community in Ifelodun in Kwara state, was kidnapped on Saturday evening when armed men stormed his palace.
The kidnappers have reportedly demanded a ransom of $300,000 (£221,000) to free the traditional ruler, though the authorities have not confirmed this.
Police are conducting search operations in the surrounding area as fears grow about security in Kwara state, which has seen a recent rise in attacks on rural communities.
For years, members of criminal gangs – known locally as bandits – have carried out killings and kidnappings for ransom, mainly targeting those in the north-west – but they have been moving to other parts of the country more recently.
It has led to the rise of vigilante groups, set up to protect local communities from bandits.
The jihadist group Mahmuda has also been active in rural parts of Kwara – and in February launched a brazen attack on a Muslim community, killing at least 75 people and targeting the family of a traditional ruler after he refused to allow them to preach in the vicinity.
Kwara State Commissioner of Police Adekimi Ojo said about 10 heavily armed men forced their way into the palace shortly after miners operating in the area had visited the monarch.
The miners had apparently handed over some cash to the local king. The details of their business relationship remain unclear.
“The terrorists broke down the door of his palace, fetched him from one of the rooms and demanded for money the miners gave him earlier in the day,” Ojo said.
The monarch reportedly handed over the money but was still taken away with his brother.
But the brother, who was barefoot, became exhausted and said he could no longer continue. This is when the kidnappers decided to tie him to a tree and leave him behind.
The gunmen then headed into the forest with the monarch, the police said
Residents say the kidnappers later made contact demanding a ransom.
Local officials say they are working with security agencies and vigilante groups for the safe release of the monarch.
Parts of Kwara have seen a rise in attacks on rural communities, with armed groups increasingly targeting highways, farms and traditional leaders.
In several cases, the abductors have exploited forested areas along state’s borders to evade the security forces.
