Kwara community queen pleads for government intervention after bandit attack, N280m ransom demand
via Punch Nigeria8 min read
Bukola Daramola, the Queen of Ikerin-Opin in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, has appealed for urgent government intervention following a bandit attack on her community. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, May 25, 2026, at a church, resulted in the death of a 14-year-old boy she had raised and the abduction of 18 worshippers. The bandits initially demanded N300 million ransom, which has since been reduced to N280 million. Daramola recounted that the boy, Kola Aina, was at the church for a children's anniversary rehearsal when the attackers arrived, shooting and abducting individuals. She described Kola as being like a grandson to her, having lived with her and her late husband, Oba Ademola Daramola, since childhood after she found him hawking barefoot. The community has been unable to raise the ransom, and many residents have fled due to fear. This is the third such incident in the community, with a previous abduction of a Fulani herder's family reportedly leading to a N45 million ransom payment. Daramola urged the government to either apprehend the bandits or pay the ransom to secure the release of the captives, highlighting the suffering of both those abducted and those left behind.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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