The abducted traditional ruler of Bayagan in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state, alongside six others, reportedly escaped from terrorists’ hideout on Sunday evening.
Alhaji Kamilu Salami, the Ojibara of Bayagan, had been held since Saturday morning when the terrorists stormed his farm and abducted him at gunpoint around 9:30 a.m.
Community members said the vigilante group traced them to a remote forest axis around Eku Idaji, near Igbaja, and launched an aggressive assault on the hideout.
The gun battle reportedly forced the terrorists to scatter, giving the captives room to flee into the bush.
Though the monarch and the six others had not returned to their homes, they contacted community leaders to confirm that they were out of the terrorists’ custody and attempting to navigate their way back safely.
The terrorists, who abducted the monarch on Saturday morning while he was on his farm, had earlier demanded a ransom of ₦150 million.
They phoned members of the community on Sunday and briefly allowed the monarch to speak, urging his people to negotiate to save his life.
During the call, Salami described being moved for hours on a motorcycle through thick forest paths before arriving at the camp, where several other abducted residents from nearby communities were also being held.
Security volunteers and community leaders say search efforts are ongoing to guide the escapees out of the forest and ensure they are not recaptured.
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