The family of Alhaji Kamilu Salami, the Ojibara of Bayagan-Ile in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, has accused both the state government and the Nigeria Police Force of failing to take action to secure his release, nine days after he was abducted.
The monarch was kidnapped on November 29, 2025, by armed men who have since demanded what his relatives describe as an unaffordable ransom. Family members say they have been forced to sell personal belongings and properties to meet the kidnappers’ demands—without any form of assistance from government authorities.
Speaking on Monday, a senior family member, Alhaji Rafiu Ayinla Lawal, said no government official, security agency, or emergency response team has reached out to the family since the incident.
According to him, the monarch has been allowed to speak with relatives occasionally from captivity, pleading with them to raise the ransom so he can regain his freedom.
“He speaks to us every few days,” Lawal explained. “He called again yesterday, begging us to try and complete the money. But we are on our own. The Kwara State Government has not contacted us, not even once.”
He added that the amount demanded by the abductors is far beyond what the family or the small community can afford. In desperation, they have sold farmland, household items, and personal valuables.
“We cannot manage this alone,” he said. “This burden is too heavy for the family. We are appealing to Nigerians for help because the government and the police have left us to our fate.”
The family is now urgently appealing to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, state officials, and federal security agencies to intervene before the situation worsens.
“Our monarch has been in captivity since November 29,” Lawal said. “We need the government to step in immediately.”
Earlier reports indicated that the monarch’s abduction had heightened fears in the community, which has experienced rising insecurity in recent years. Rural areas in Kwara State have increasingly become targets for violent attacks and kidnappings
