The coordinator of the Kwara South Joint Community Security Watch Network, Olaitan Oyin-Zubair, recounted the invasion of the palace of Oba David Adedumoye, the Elerin of Adanla Irese in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, by bandits on Boxing Day, December 26, 2025. Around 6:30 pm, about 20 armed assailants marched into the community and stormed the monarch’s palace, ransacking it for nearly an hour. They abducted seven members of the royal family, injured two others, and seized phones, valuables, food items, and ceremonial pots from the recent Christmas Day celebration. The bandits reportedly demanded a ransom of N300 million, contacting the monarch directly.
The king had left for Ilorin earlier that day and returned after the attack. The bandits did not use vehicles, entering the palace on foot. Security forces, including soldiers and local vigilantes, arrived after the bandits had fled and have since been combing the area without success. Past incidents include the kidnapping of a local woman at Oniyangi farms, who was held for a month before her release upon payment of a N5 million ransom.
Oyin-Zubair indicated that the attack suggested insider knowledge, as one of the bandits, speaking in both Yoruba and Fulani, seemed familiar with the palace occupants. More than 10 assailants were involved, with some positioned outside giving instructions. He stressed that preventive measures like deploying soldiers, training forest guards, and supporting local vigilantes are ongoing but acknowledged that eradicating banditry entirely remains challenging, especially given the dense forests and hills in the region.
The coordinator noted that the dry season offers an advantage for monitoring the forest and locating bandit hideouts, and he advocated for collaboration with the air force and local vigilantes. He described Adanla as a small, peaceful, and agrarian community and emphasized the importance of continued government support for local security initiatives. While skeptical of the creation of state police due to potential corruption and conflicts with the Nigeria Police, he praised regional security frameworks like Amotekun as effective alternatives.
Oyin-Zubair concluded that sustained cooperation between local communities, vigilantes, and organized security forces is crucial to curb insecurity in Kwara State.
